A Responsible Ownership
by aalens
Summary: This is an AU fanfic of Lanta's AU story 'An Unwilling Ownership.' It is NOT a continuation of it but happens to be set in a time months after her fic ends. HP owns SS & Sara. No pairings yet. Warnings! Not a serious fic. Overpowered Harry & ridiculously overpowered OC elf. No real plot. Swear words. A little angst relieved by occasional humour. Slavery. Farce. Cracky
1. Prologue

A/N 28/11/15 I have altered parts of this explanation so that it is more in accordance with the scenes that follow and also because some people might think that it is going to be strict continuation of Lanta's story and then may be disappointed. The first few chapters—or scenes, or whatever the heck they are—do read rather like a continuation from of her story but that is merely because they are set in a post 'An Unwilling Ownership' time frame.

PROLOGUE. (Or rather, an EXPLANATION and then below that is an OUTLINE of Lanta's story to serve as a prologue to this fic.)

EXPLANATION

This is an AU **Fanfiction** of the abandoned AU Harry Potter fanfiction 'An Unwilling Ownership' by Lanta s/2896200/1/An-Unwilling-Ownership.

It is **NOT** a continuation of it; it is merely a series of scenes/scraps set in a time subsequent to that of Lanta's story.

(BTW, Not that I really needed it to write a fanfiction of her story, but as it happens I do have Lanta's approval to write this—she probably wouldn't have so blithely said 'go ahead' if she'd had an inkling of what a dog's breakfast I was going to make of it!)

Please read 'An Unwilling Ownership' before reading this fic so that you have an idea of what happened in the past—and also, if you read it, then if you don't like my fanfiction of it, at least you will have read one good story today.

 **W** **ARNINGS—PLEASE READ**

I'm not sure if there's a plot—believe me I have searched high and low for one so it's not for lack of looking, but have had no success in finding it so far.

Slavery. Master Harry/Slave Snape, Master Harry/Slave OC.

References to abuse and CP, including CP of children.

Some OOC characters.

Any future pairings may include either or both slash and het.

This fic is not a 'proper' story, instead it is a collection of scenes, it is not the whole of their lives during the time frame it covers, just episodes from it..

 _The events of the HP universe are in the background and are usually merely referred to, not expanded upon_ _and are often not the events_ _or even the time frame of book canon._

The main warnings probably should be for too much inappropriate and weak humour—and also that as time goes by Harry gets further and further carried away/obsessed with a variant of 'his saving people thing'.

As an AU fanfic of an already AU story, this universe varies in several ways from the universe of Lanta's story, and also of course from HP canon; for example, Sara is nine when Harry buys her, not seven and the slave bonds are even more restrictive.

The scenes are almost entirely dialogue. Sorry, but I will not profusely apologise for that since writing description bores me—and I'm writing this almost entirely for my own amusement, though of course if anyone else is amused by it too, that would certainly be a very great bonus—and also I'm certain that reading something that it had bored me to write, would definitely bore you to read too—probably even more than the excessive dialogue may bore you—and of course, it is also true that I'm utterly hopeless at writing descriptions of people, places and action, so lazy old woman that I am, I avoid it.

.

MAIN CHARACTERS: HP, SS, female OC (Sara) HG, GW. OC and extremely overly powerful elf (or maybe he just imagines that he is and manages to convince Harry and Severus of it for a while.)

No Pairings— as yet anyway, Harry is still too young.

 **PROLOGUE**

A VERY BRIEF OUTLINE of the universe which Lanta created in 'An Unwilling Ownership' follows for those who have read that fic in the past but need a quick reminder—but it would be so very much better to re-read it as it is an entertaining story.

When Harry arrives at Hogwarts he is horrified to be informed by Albus Dumbledore that he has inherited a slave, Severus Snape, from his parents. Severus had been bought by Lily and James to rescue him from his previous cruel and disgustingly abusive owner, Lucius Malfoy.

Slavery is now uncommon but is still legal in the Wizarding world and the slave bonds are unbreakable, so slaves can never be freed—and any child born of a slave is itself a slave.

Abolitionists, unlike in muggle Britain and the rest of Europe, have not been successful at making slavery illegal, however they have had some partial success in that it is now illegal to enslave any free person and human-slave ownership has become slightly unfashionable.

Unfortunately, apart from it now being illegal to enslave anyone who was born free, that is the only change; the remaining laws governing slaves and their behaviour and the penalties should they breach any law, are cruel. Legally, slaves are non-persons, mere chattels and possessions of their owners—who have life and death power over them. Laws to protect slaves from whatever their masters choose to inflict upon them do not exist.

A while later, the Headmaster tells Harry that a seven year old slave has become available for sale and as it is possible that she will be bought by a person or family who will be cruel to her, and as Harry is the only one on the side of the Light rich enough to afford her, he asks Harry to buy her. Harry is already appalled and mortified that he now owns a slave and almost overwhelmed by the responsibility that burdens him with, and protests that he is too young to look after a child, but Dumbledore explains that she would be able to live with the Weasleys, so, as Harry too fears what her fate might be otherwise, he agrees to buy her. That is done, and the girl, Sara, is given to Molly Weasley to look after.


	2. Chapter 1 Unobservant

AN: If you have not read Lanta's An Unwilling Ownership (and if you haven't what is your excuse?) then be advised that since Severus cannot give Harry orders he cannot teach him in the usual classroom situation. The solution suggested by the headmaster was that Severus gives Harry private lessons.

Warning for this chapter: some swear words.

CHAPTER 1 – Unobservant

To Harry's chagrin it had taken Hermione to point out to him that not only was Professor Snape too thin, but also that his clothes were in poor condition, and so he felt guilty that he had not already noticed the state of Severus' clothes and done something about them.

"Harry, in potions class Professor Snape doesn't ever wear protective gloves and in our last class he burned his hands when Neville exploded his cauldron. He makes us wear them when making some of the most corrosive potions, but never wears them himself; does he ever wear them when he gives you your private lessons?"

"Er, no, he... you think that he should? He'd wear them if he thought he needed to...I think."

"Perhaps he doesn't own any—you should suggest that he buys some if he has none—does he have any to wear?"

"Have any? I should think he would have; the school would provide them wouldn't it? Perhaps not...I don't know, he's never said, never asked me to get him any anyway... Oh, er, he probably wouldn't though... I suppose I'd better ask him."

"Why can't he buy them himself? He could use his salary, or does that go to you?"

"Of course it doesn't!" Harry said indignantly, but, even as he denied it, he realised that probably some of it did come to him; as Professor Dumbledore had once suggested, Harry had increased Snape's allowance by fifty percent, but now that he thought about it, he suspected that that was still less than the potions master would have received if he had been paid all that he earned as a professor.

He couldn't think why it hadn't occurred to him to tell the headmaster to forget the 'allowance' thing and just pay all of the salary directly to Professor Snape; Harry had a legal right to whatever Snape earned, but knew he had no moral right to it at all. He said nothing to Hermione as he was embarrassed by his failure, but he resolved to put it right as soon as possible.

Hermione was not sure that Harry was telling the whole truth as he had a guilty look on his face, but was satisfied that she had given him something to think about. To make certain, she added, "You should suggest he buys himself a new set of robes too, all the ones he wears look worn thin."

Harry stared at her. "I haven't noticed...I should've noticed that too."

"Boys don't notice clothes much I think, well, some of you don't, and you're not used to being responsible for anyone else either, so don't feel too badly about it."

"Well, thanks, but I probably should've noticed it myself."

Harry had a sudden impulse to tell her more about the bond there was between him and the professor; she probably had a good idea of most of it anyway, and so he told her what had transpired between him and the headmaster when Professor Dumbledore had first told him that professor Snape was his slave.

He then added, "I should have told him at the time to pay it all to Severus; what was I thinking? I'll do it now... and I'll buy him some new robes too. It's not as if I'm short of money, and all the time between my parents dying and my coming to Hogwarts, the headmaster had him on allowance which was just for necessities, so it can't have been much."

"That's just wrong! I didn't think Professor Dumbledore would be mean like that."

"Well, it wasn't really his fault because he didn't know what I would've given Severus, had I known anything about him, about owning him and everything, so the headmaster didn't know what I'd be prepared to give him and didn't feel it right to spend too much of my money... yes, I know what you're going to say; it was really Snape's money not mine. Anyway, I'm going to put it right now."

"You're a good person Harry... Perhaps Professor Snape will be so pleased he might even be nice to us in class for a while, perhaps even to Neville for a change…Yes, right, I can certainly see that happening! But if you were to…you said that you were going to ask him about Neville; have you done that yet?"

"No...sorry. I'm pretty sure I only told you that I'd think about asking him, not that I actually would ask him... but anyway, I've decided now that I definitely will ask him. . . How about I ask Dumbledore if Severus and I can go to Diagon Alley again—on the pretext of getting another winter set of robes for me or something—and I can surprise him with new robes and things, and ask him to go easier on Neville at the same time? As a favour I mean, not an order."

"That sounds good; you and the professor definitely need to get to know each other better anyway, and you probably can't just owl Madame Malkin the order because she probably doesn't have his measurements, and he'll need to choose the materials and colours.

"What shade of black, you mean?"

"Right. But perhaps he's never been given the option of wearing anything but black."

"Too true."

...

Subsequently, Harry had consulted Headmaster Dumbledore, arranged to pay Severus all his salary—which to Harry's private embarrassment turned out to be more than twice what the allowance had been—and the headmaster's permission to go with Severus to Diagon Alley again, ostensibly to buy a new winter cloak and underclothes for himself, but actually to re-outfit the professor.

After breakfast the next day, a Saturday, Harry left the Hall before Severus had finished his breakfast and waited outside in a side corridor for him to emerge from the Great Hall.

"Severus," he said it very quietly, but the professor heard him and immediately stopped, then turned and walked into the side corridor and towards him.

"Yes Master?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Harry whispered.

"Of course Master. There is a small room about twenty feet along from here that would provide privacy, if you require it."

"Oh good, thanks. Please lead the way."

Once in the room, which had an air of sad neglect, as if it was a classroom that had not been used for many years and no-one had liked it much even when it had been in use, Harry walked over to the teacher's table and leaned against it. There seemed to be quite a few of these abandoned rooms scattered around the castle. Harry thought it meant that at some time in the past the student body had been much larger than it was now.

Once Severus was certain no one else was within earshot he enquired, "Should I cast a privacy spell Harry?"

"Oh? You can if you like. I don't have anything secret to tell you but we might get on to other topics so we might as well be on the safe side, if it's not too much trouble."

Severus inclined his head slightly, partly as the sign of respectful agreement that his bond required, but also to hide his reaction. Even Mrs Potter had not been quite so polite a mistress as her son was proving to be a master. Harry always phrased his orders as if making a polite request for a favour. "Thank you Master," he said, and quickly warded the room so it was secure and private.

"Sev, the headmaster has given me permission to go to Diagon Alley again. I want to buy another cloak and do a few other things. I can only go if you come with me and so Friday would be best as he says that if you have classes that day he can fill in for you on that day. So would that be alright? Will you go with me next Friday morning please?

Severus shuddered to think what his potions classroom would be like after Albus had run amok in it for a couple of hours, but thankfully he didn't have any classes on Friday afternoons so that would limit the damage to some degree.

"Of course Master. I will be happy to escort you. Friday suits me particularly well, but in any case I am always at your disposal. At what time do you wish us to leave?"

"Yes, well, that's good. I know you'd go whenever I asked, but I don't like to put you out if I can help it. Anyway, I thought perhaps you could Side-along me once we're outside the wards? I don't like floo travel much. Yes?... Oh good. Well, we should probably leave here in time to do that and get us to London by about eleven. I can't leave directly after breakfast as we've got a charms lesson."

"Harry, may I ask you about something that has been bothering me?"

"Yes, of course you can, you don't have to ask. What is it? Is something the matter?"

"No, it is merely that since our previous visit to Diagon and Gringotts, something has been at the back of my mind. It may be that I'm imagining the whole thing, but I keep thinking there is something I've forgotten about your inheritance. I know that your mother was very fond of the cottage at Godric's Hollow and loved living there, and I remember being there with them of course, but I have a feeling that there was another house or even houses that we stayed at occasionally. Recently, I have had dreams where we went to a house that looked rather like a kiln or oast house. Perhaps I'm remembering times when we visited friends of your parents; or even more likely, I'm completely imagining the whole thing, as why would I not remember completely if we had ever lived anywhere else?...However, it does seem odd that the Potters were so wealthy and yet their only home was that small cottage; that all their wealth should be in the form of the gold and valuables in their vaults is surprising too."

"Yeah, that is a bit strange I guess, but wouldn't my account manager have said something about it if there were property titles, deeds and things, as well as all the gold and money?"

"One would certainly assume that to be the case, but if I remember correctly Master, you only asked to check on your gold...so there's a possibility, a remoter possibility that that was all the goblin thought you were interested in at the time... I'm probably imagining the whole thing, but since we will be going to Diagon Alley anyway, it would not take long for us to enquire if there are any properties other than the cottage at Godric's Hollow."

"But if there are, why don't you remember them properly? You have a good memory so why would you have forgotten something like that and why has no-one else mentioned anything about them? The headmaster would've said something about other houses when he told me I was rich wouldn't he? Anyway, I could ask him now I suppose."

"Yes, you could Master, but if what I suspect is correct, I don't think the headmaster or anyone else for the matter, will know anything about them either..."

"But that's crazy. Why wouldn't he, and why wouldn't you?"

"The only reason I can think of is that everything is under a Fidelius and whoever the secret keeper is, he has not revealed it to you…and yes I know that sounds extremely unlikely, and also if that is the case, why am I starting to remember, or rather, think I remember, something about a manor and other estates, unless of course, the Fidelius spell is beginning to break down."

"But it did break down; the Fidelius was broken."

"The one on Godric's Hollow certainly was, but what if there were other houses under a different Fidelius spell or spells? Yes Harry, I can see you think it is all very far-fetched, but..."

"No, I can see it's been niggling at you, that you've got a hunch or something. It won't take us all that long to pop into the bank and ask ...but hold on, if there's a Fidelius then the goblins won't remember it either, so there's no point in asking them about it as they won't know; since if there is one, and we don't know who the secret keeper is, then all we can do is wait and see if either he lets us know or it breaks down completely if he dies or something."

"That is certainly most likely the case, however sometimes people use a Gringotts' goblin or some other trustworthy person as a secret keeper and tell him not to disclose the secret until certain conditions are met, such as the new heir asking where the properties he expected to inherit are, or, as in this case, why are there no properties."

Harry thought that Severus was being uncharacteristically fanciful, but as it was obviously something that was preying on his mind, decided to humour him. At least, when they got a 'no' from the goblins that would put Severus's mind at rest.

"Oh I see. Sounds a bit hit or miss to me, to do it that way, to not reveal anything until the heir asks I mean; what if he never does ask? Still, as you say, I might as well ask. We'd better do that first, directly we arrive. Gringotts is open twenty four hours so we could try to get away as early as possible… oh no, I forgot about my charms lesson. But even though we won't be able to go really early we should still be able to visit Gringotts' bank and still have loads of time to shop."

"Thank you Master."

...

The following Friday morning Harry went down to the dungeons straight after his charms class. "Good morning Severus," he greeted his servant who had stood up and inclined his head as his master came through the door. "You weren't in Hall for breakfast; are you feeling alright?"

"Good morning Master. Yes, thank you, I am quite well. Since I still had a few essays to mark, I breakfasted here while doing so... Will you permit me to apply a Notice-me-Not charm on us both before we leave? It will mean that no one will pay us any attention unless we address them directly."

"Brilliant! Good idea. Yes please do." Harry held his arms out, somehow feeling that doing that would give the charm more coverage. Severus' upper lip twitched but he said nothing apart from the charm's incantation. They then walked from the suite of rooms and out from the school until they were just beyond the wards. Five seconds later they were in Diagon Alley.

...

After leaving the bank, Harry was in a state of mild shock. "Well! I can hardly believe it! A manor, the other houses, all those investments and everything else! It's a good thing you'd started to suspect something!"

"Indeed Master."

Harry and Severus were sitting together on a wooden seat which encircled a fountain at the junction of Daigon and Improb Alleys. The noise from the falling water was enough to give them complete privacy but they still, instinctively, were speaking in low tones and leaning towards each other. Harry was feeling overwhelmed by having learned, less than a quarter of an hour ago, that not only did he own a manor house and large estate called Potters' Kiln but also five other houses and several businesses, both wizard and muggle. The reason that no one had known of them had also been a shock and rather disturbing.

...

A short while after their talk together beside the fountain and the revelations of their talk with Harry's account manager, and still feeling a little dazed by the extent of his wealth—his wealth, which, even when previously he'd thought it consisted only of the gold and articles in his vaults, he had considered so large that it verged on the obscene. Well, it was in comparison to the virtually nothing he'd thought he'd owned - Harry stood up. "I suppose if we're still going to get our stuff today we'd better start. We can talk about all the houses and things later...when I've started to believe it."

"I understand Master. It is certainly rather a lot to take in all at once." _Though I wouldn't mind having the same problem. I think even a saint would feel a little envious...still, no use thinking that way...if wishes were horses and all that._

"It certainly is a shock for someone who's only possessions until lately have been my ragged old blue 'blanky' and a few broken toys... Oh my god, what a shock my dear old uncle would get if only he knew! It would almost be worth telling him just to see the look on his face." Harry started to grin. "Come on Sev, it's not bad news, it's jolly good news...come on, let's spend some money, I think I might be able to afford it! Anything you see and like, just give me a tiny little hint and it's yours."

Severus looked down at Harry indulgently. "It certainly is something to celebrate Master." _He really is an exceptionally nice lad. If it had been me I would have accepted the reparation for their failure that the goblins offered; in fact I would have demanded it if they hadn't offered it._

Harry, having by then mostly recovered from his shock, and the professor, walked into Mme Malkin's establishment, and, as he had on their previous visit, Severus stood back against the wall to wait until his master had finished his purchases. That reminded Harry that on the previous occasion Severus had briefly displayed his slave tattoo to Mme Malkin and she had nodded and then ignored him from then on.

Harry felt awful that beyond being shocked at her easy acceptance of the fact Severus was a slave, at that time he had not thought anything much beyond that, had not then realised that Severus was also in need of new clothes, in fact had not thought anything about it at all until Hermione had pointed out that the way Professor Snape was clothed was his responsibility now. Lately there seemed to be yet one instance after another of things he should have noticed and done something about but hadn't.

Since Severus seldom looked away from him except when assessing the surroundings, it was only a couple of seconds before Harry could catch his eye and motion with his head for him to come over to him. He avoided calling him since that avoided Severus having to reply to him with the word 'master' in the sentence.

"Madame Malkin, I would like another set of winter clothes, and Professor Snape would like a couple...no, make it four...four complete winter outfits, including robes plus sets of all the underwear and stuff - whatever wizards normally wear I mean. Do you have his measurements?"

"No Mr Potter, we have not had the pleasure of his custom before, so we do not, but it will only take a few moments to take them." She hesitated, "What material should we use? A cheap option would be..."

"No, no," Harry interrupted her, "not cheap material, we both want the best you've got. All castles are draughty, and Hogwarts is a Scottish castle, so worse than most. It's bitterly cold in winter, especially in the dungeons, and we don't want to die of the cold. So," he added forcefully, "please make sure his robes are made of the same material mine are... I guess you'll want any colour so long as it's black?" he asked, turning with a bit of a grin to Severus, but then added, "but perhaps you would like some other colours? What about green? Dark green perhaps?"

Severus was feeling pleased that he was to get new robes, but was slightly concerned at the possible consequences of his robes being of the first quality. He turned fully towards Harry - which turned his back towards Madam Malkin.

"Master," he said softly, "I am used to black and do prefer it, but it is inappropriate for me to wear the same quality robes that you do. People will..."

"I don't care what they think!"

"I am very grateful Master, more than you know, however, I am a Slytherin, so people will assume that I'm manipulating you in some way."

Harry stood silently for a moment. "Oh, I see... that could cause some trouble for you?"

Severus had been thinking that it would cause people to lose respect for Harry if they thought him easily manipulated, or even merely that he was a 'soft touch,' but he did not have a chance to explain even had he wished to do so, as Harry immediately started speaking to Madam Malkin again.

"Is there some way you can make the material look slightly inferior to mine, but not really be?"

She thought for a moment. "Well, yes, but those sort of charms wear off quite quickly; it may be better to make the robes from a very slightly inferior material..."

Harry opened his mouth to object, but she interrupted, "No, the material I have in mind is very good, very good indeed—it is what many pure-bloods wear and I can add extra warmth charms that will make it as good as yours would be at keeping Professor Snape warm. Those sorts of charms last several years too."

Harry was about to ask Severus what he thought, but Madam Malkin added, "I could also embellish your robes a little; nothing that would breach Hogwarts' uniform regulations, but merely some subtle decorative edging perhaps, and make the cut of the professor's robes more severe... They would be of just as good a cut, just as comfortable, but look plainer," she continued, to placate this unusual young man.

Most wizards in his situation would have chosen an inferior cloth to clothe someone that the centuries-old laws did not even consider to be a person - that is if they came to her at all, it was probable that they would have just bought him something off-the-peg or even from a second-hand shop.

"So they would look different but really be almost the same?" Harry interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh yes, they would look quite different... If someone in the trade saw them, they would know, or at least be able to make an educated guess, that they were virtually the same, quality but no-one else would know, I can guarantee that."

"Well, okay, that's settled then," Harry confirmed after looking enquiringly at his servant and receiving his nod of acceptance and thanks.

Madame Malkin started to take Severus' measurements and once again Harry watched the measuring tape; fascinated by it, as it rushed around Severus while at a nearby table a quill jotted down each measurement as the tape completed it. A few seconds later the tape and quill both came to a stop, apparently finished; the quill returned itself to a wooden quill holder and the tape hovered over the table, curled itself up and dropped, missed the table by about half an inch, and fell to the floor.

Harry stopped wool gathering and spoke to Mme Malkin again. "We have to do some more shopping, up to about a couple of hours' worth probably by the time we've been everywhere.. We can come back after that for a fitting, or will we have to come back a few days later?... Oh no, I remember, you do it all really fast."

Madam Malkin smiled. "You're probably thinking of muggle tailoring. We are much faster and there will be no real need for a fitting, you may certainly have one if you prefer, but any minor adjustments needed are automatically made by the robes and other garments when you put them on. Yes, they will be ready very shortly. Please come back in half an hour or whenever you have finished your shopping; they will be finished by then and ready for you."

Harry, under the extraordinarily tender loving care of the Dursleys, had had no experience whatsoever of muggle tailoring or even of having any new clothes of any sort, even off-the-peg, but he had read somewhere that be-spoke garments could take several fittings to get right, so despite his already having had experience of it on his previous trip, he still found it difficult to believe just how fast tailoring aided by magic could be. Magic was so cool... Well, some things about it were, but some of the laws and customs were difficult to come to terms with, almost impossible to accept really.

As they walked from the shop Harry glanced sideways at the person beside but half a step behind him, the person that those ancient but still current laws did not consider to be a person.

"I am sorry Severus. I should've noticed the state of your robes long before now."

"Master, please do not apologise. There is no reason that my clothing should concern you, other than it's being adequate to keep me healthy and able to perform my duties."

Genuinely pleased and grateful for getting new robes as he was, Severus failed to conceal a hint of bitterness in his voice, and aware of it, he hurriedly continued, "These robes are by no means the worst I have ever had; they were once very good robes," _for a slave_ , "but have now become a little worn."

As they walked past Florian Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour Harry came to a sudden stop. "Let's have some ice cream before we do anything else."

"I cannot fault your priorities Master."

Harry grinned. What flavour sundae do you want? If you tell me now I won't have to ask you when the waitress is within earshot."

"I would prefer vanilla or coffee thank you Master." Harry sat down at one of the outside tables, and when it became obvious that Severus intended to stand behind his chair, motioned him to sit across the table from him.

As they seated themselves, Harry noticed the state of Severus' boots. _Oh no! Not another thing I've failed to notice and do something about!_

"From the look of your boots they're in the same state as your robes. Is there a good shoe shop in Diagon Alley or would it be best to go into muggle London? ... I could do with new shoes too; these were Dudley's so I have to stuff the toes with paper." He held up both feet to show Severus the size of them. "It's a pity they don't fit as I rather like them. Dudley took a dislike to them very soon after he got them, so they're still nearly new."

"That cannot be good for your feet Master, and yes, there is a shoe shop; actually it's a cordwainer's premises, as they make shoes and boots to one's requirements. They are just two shop-fronts down from Olivander's establishment; we passed it earlier on the way to the bank. However, if you will allow me to do so, I can cast a sizing charm on your muggle foot-ware, which may negate the need of another pair, or at least turn these into a comfortable spare pair."

"That would be great! Thanks. Before we leave here I'll take out the paper wadding and you can do that for me. I'll still get at least one or two other pairs though. So will you; I'm going to get a few pairs for you... Have you ever thought about wearing plimsol-type shoes? They could be good as a second pair for you as they're very comfortable. I should think we'd have to go into muggle London for them though?"

Severus nodded. "You are correct Master. They are not the type of shoe the cordwainer makes, or at least, I believe that to be the case."

At that moment, Florean Fortescue, whose habit was to circle around the room every twenty minutes or so, and who always kept a close eye on all his customers, happened to pass the table at which Harry and Severus were sitting, and stumbled over Harry's still outstretched feet.

Once he had knocked against Harry's feet he saw the two patrons who had somehow escaped his notice before, and then he noticed the tattoo on Severus' wrist. He didn't recognise either of them due to the type of Notice-Me-Not charm Severus had applied before they left Hogwarts, however any child attended by a slave had to belong to a rich family. The usual practice was for the customers to order their ice confections at the counter, but the lad and his servant seemed to be unaware of that. He was about to signal to one of the waitresses to go to the table, but Harry jumped up and apologised, and once he did so Mr Fortescue could recognise him.

"Oh Mr Potter. What an honour! Whatever you want, it's on the house." Luckily he was savvy enough to realise that Harry would not be impressed by his calling everyone's attention to him, so he spoke quietly.

Harry too had been startled by Mr Fortescue tripping over his feet and, for no good reason, felt nervous. "Are you sure you're alright? ...sorry about tripping you...I had just been showing the professor... well, that doesn't matter...what sort of sundae do you want professor?... Never mind, don't answer that, you've already told me... The professor will have a sundae with both vanilla and coffee ice-cream and I'll have one with strawberry and pistachio please."

Once the shop owner had hurried to get their sundaes Harry felt more relaxed.

"What were we talking about? Oh I know, the shoes... I think I remember that shop; it had a strange name...what was it ...'Seven-League Comfort Boots' or something about seven-league boots? Do they really make boots that will give you a stride of seven leagues like they do in the stories? That's about twenty one miles isn't it?"

"Yes, you are correct Master; however I think the seven leagues means the distance one can walk in them without becoming at all tired."

"Oh, that's a bit disappointing... It's still pretty cool though I suppose."

Their ice-creams arrived. "Thank you. They look great." Harry tried to hand over several sickles but had them thrust back at him.

"Don't you dare try and pay me lad. You and yours will always eat here free," and Florian turned away with a bow to Harry and a smile for them both.

"Thank you!" Harry said to his retreating back.

He sat there saying nothing for a moment and then suddenly exclaimed, "I'm an idiot!"

Severus permitted himself the suspicion of a smile. "Why is that Master?"

"I could have avoided all that embarrassment for both of us at Malkin's if I'd just thought to owl her your measurements and wrote down what I wanted about the quality and colour, and just got her to send the robes to Hogwarts. I am so sorry! ... Of course, Hermione did say that she might not have your measurements so we would have to visit, but we could've taken the measurements ourselves, it can't be all that difficult...you'd think that would have occurred to her wouldn't you? She usually thinks of everything."

Snape thought he knew exactly what Harry meant by saying he was sorry, but something, perhaps a desire to find out more about what his master thought of him, prompted him to prompt him to clarify exactly what he'd meant..

"Sorry Master? Why are you sorry? It was unfortunate that it was embarrassing for you, but we still would have had to visit her for your new robes so that you could choose the style and material... I know how difficult it is for you to hear me say 'master' in public, however you will almost certainly become accustomed to it in time, and remember, in the wizarding world, slavery is comparatively normal," _unfortunately,_ "so most people do not find it as uncomfortable a subject as you do. Admittedly, it is more unusual than having a house elf, because we are far more expensive, nevertheless to most wizards, to almost all of them, it is quite normal, and if they could afford it, many of them would have one themselves."

"Hmm, 'normal!' It should not be! It's bloody _abnormal_ if you ask me... Anyway, I meant embarrassing for you - you having to be like that, so subservient in front of her and her employees, and you being more brainy than me and more intelligent than the lot of them put together actually!"

Having his idea that Harry had been worried about his slave's embarrassment confirmed, gave Snape a feeling he found difficult to exactly identify.

"That sentiment too is greatly to your credit Master, however I am quite used to it. I hardly notice it anymore." _Well, sometimes I don't._

Harry had been thinking about what would happen when buying their footwear, so he asked, "I think perhaps we should buy our new boots in muggle London - at least, that's if...do you have to call me that word in front of muggles too? Slavery's illegal in muggle Britain you know."

"Unfortunately I have to say 'master' when addressing you in the presence of other people, wherever we are and whoever they are. Unlike most of our laws, the laws governing slavery do not differentiate between wizards and muggles when referring to the public. I am sorry Master. Moreover, I think that the foot-ware we can obtain here is superior to that available in the muggle world.

"Um. So am I...sorry I mean. But I've just got an idea; whenever you have to say 'master' you could say it in a theatrical old-retainer sort of voice - like a butler, like Jeeves, for instance. I'll call you Jeeves or Ponsonby or something, and we can really ham it up, and when anyone asks or looks at us funny, we can say we are rehearsing for our roles in a play."

In a tone which belied his words Snape commented, "A most excellent and humorous solution Master, however..."

"Yes, that's it! Speak exactly like that and everyone will think we're hilarious!" Harry missed the fleeting expression on Snape's face. He had not been acting.

"I hesitate to point out Master, that the counter-jumpers in the cordwainer's premises I are likely to have been my students at Hogwarts. They will not be fooled."

"No, and that's another reason why we should go to muggle London for them. Okay, they might not be as good as those made here, but afterwards, after we get them, we could owl whatever we buy to the Seven-league place and ask them to copy them - yes, and also put permanent, or at least long-term, comfort and sizing charms on the originals, and we could get a few pairs of trainers at the muggle shop too, while we're there."

Severus was not convinced that it would be quite as easy as Harry thought it would be to act convincingly as Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, but was happy to try it if it kept his master happy. Despite his history he had read several muggle fiction novels and Wodehouse had been a favourite author, the humour being a welcome relief from his real life.

Severus' thoughts were interrupted when he noticed that Harry had been repeatedly glancing up at his face and then down at the table again. It seemed he wanted to say something but was unsure about how to broach the subject.

"You can say anything you like to me Master. I am perhaps one of the few people in the world whom you can never offend."

"Well, that's not exactly true; it's more like you're the one person who can never openly take offence at anything I say, however offended you really are, and that sucks, really sucks."

Severus was pleased that Harry at least had the insight to see that, but Harry continued in a rush..."Especially as I think that if you could be your real self around me you would not only take offence but tell me so in that clever sarcastic way you have. I've seen and heard how you can be with Ron and Nev...

"Which reminds me, Nev, ...er...could you please go a bit easier on Neville? ... The main reason he mucks up his potions is because he's so nervous around you; at least that's what Hermione thinks, and I think she's probably right because Neville's really great at Herbology, and Potions is related to that in lots of ways. She keeps asking me to tell, no, to ask you to ease up on Neville, but I keep telling her that I am _not_ going to interfere with your teaching methods, but she says that just a small hint to you, just this once, and well… she still keeps on asking me if I have mentioned it to you yet, so I thought that just this once I'd ask you...if you could perhaps not be quite so sarcastic with him...and not get so near him when he is making a potion either, as that makes him nervous and that causes him to do stupid things?...Sorry!"

Severus was relieved; from Harry's evident nervousness he had thought that he was about to order him to do something difficult. _This order was easy, and of course it was an order_ _—_ _even though Harry did not think it to be one_ _—_ _as were any of Harry's suggestions. It had been amusing but self-indulgent of him to terrorise Longbottom, but that would have to stop. Ah well_ _—_ _and if the pudgy little boy was adept at Herbology perhaps it was remotely possible that he could improve at Potions. He would have to speak to Sprout about it..._

Then he noticed that Harry was waiting for an answer... belatedly, he hurried to respond.

"Of course Master. I must apologise that my behaviour has caused you this embarrassment... "

"Please don't say that...don't even _think_ that... I hated to ask, but on the other hand I do feel sorry for Neville, and usually Hermione is very understanding about how it is so awkward for us, you and me I mean, and she knows _very well_ that I've told you I won't interfere in your teaching, but she _still_ keeps on asking, so I thought that just this once... well...and actually I don't really understand why you... Sorry."

Severus was becoming fond of Harry, or at least he was grateful for his luck in having so ethically principled an owner this time. Almost any other child of Harry's age who had virtually absolute power over him, would have treated him very differently, very differently indeed. Before meeting Harry, and while believing him to be a pampered and spoilt young lordling as James had been, his imagined future with him had been nightmarish. He hurried to ease Harry's continuing embarrassment.

"Please my lord, please Master, don't let it bother you. It does you great credit not to wish to do so, but it is your right to advise or order me as to how you wish me to behave, and being nicer to Longbottom will not be difficult. It is, I admit, a self-indulgence of mine, to sometimes..."

"I know! I know!" Harry interrupted, still nervous and still babbling. "It's your way of getting even with all the idiots who think they are better than you are, especially as it is really the other way around... I'd probably do the same in your shoes, and that's even though I'm not like you; I'm not more intelligent than they are. That's another reason why I don't like to... Well, thanks for being so good about it...

"Anyway, to change the subject, that wasn't actually what I was thinking about saying to you just now. I was going to say that we both could do with a good haircut, have it styled even. Are there any good barbers here in Diagon Alley? Or we could do that in muggle London as well as the shoes and boots."

"We may not have time to do that on this trip Master, not if we are also to buy footwear and potions ingredients, and I believe that yesterday you also mentioned something about an optician? However there is a barber in Hogsmeade who will make house calls."

Harry thought for a moment. That did not suit his plans as he was sure that the Hogsmeade barber would not be as good as a London one, and also it had not only been Snape's hair at which he had been glancing; his teeth looked as if a dental appointment was long overdue.

"No. I think we deserve a good London hairdresser. If it turns out we haven't time today... and actually I suppose we won't be able to get our hair cut today anyway as we'll have to make an appointment at the hairdresser, so we'll have to come another day in any case...not too long in the future though, and I do want to go to an optician to get my eyes checked as well."

He made no mention of the dentist, he would talk to Severus about that a bit later.

"I shall have to ask the headmaster when we can come here again. Anyway, let's see how we get on today. Are there any magical opticians?"

"Yes indeed there are Master. Has it been a while since your last eye examination?"

"Over two years I think, maybe three. I was supposed to get them re-checked a while ago, but my aunt didn't get around to taking me, and I thought magical opticians might be better...might have more options on the glasses, charms I mean. Ron said that you can even get things like glasses that have translation spells on them, and being able to see through clothes...not that I want that," he added quickly and not entirely convincingly, "but it would be wicked if I could get a pair to see through masks and glamours or to see auras."

Severus was amused at his master's slip, but it reminded him that Harry would soon be undergoing puberty, and that as he had been brought up by muggles he would have no idea how easy it was for a hormone driven young wizard to accidentally bond himself to an unscrupulous witch or wizard. As The-Boy-Who-Lived, a good looking boy even though he was rather short, one of the richest people in their world and the head of an ancient and noble family, especially as there was no adult head of family to advise and protect him, Harry would be a prime target for such people. He would have to ask Albus to give Harry 'The Talk' and to warn him of the many dangers.

Severus was genuinely concerned for his master as he did not wish to see him unhappily bound to a less than ideal spouse, but he was also concerned for himself; an unpleasant wife for Harry could make his own life miserable. _A protective ring or medallion for Harry would be a good..._

"Okay. I think we'll do the boots and shoes next, then go to a dentist and the hairdresser's to make our appointments and if we still have time after that, the optician's. What do you think?

"That seems feasible Master. However, what is a dentist?"

Harry stopped trying to scrape the last vestiges of pistachio ice-cream from the sundae dish and stared across at him. "What? Don't wizards have dentists? You know, they look after people's teeth."

"Ah, we have potions and charms to do that ourselves. Although if there is severe damage to one's teeth and mouth, one goes to a healer."

"Oh." Harry was at a loss as to what to say. How was he to get Severus's teeth seen to if he could have fixed them himself at any time but had just not bothered? But perhaps the potions were expensive and he hadn't been able to afford them.

"So, okay then...could you make the potion or potions and do the spells, or teach me the spells, to fix them? My teeth are a bit crooked; I might even have a cavity or two, and I'd like them to be a bit whiter as well. Do we need to buy any ingredients? If we do then let's get them today and buy enough to do both my teeth and your teeth. I want us both to look good in our new clothes." Mm, maybe that hadn't been exactly subtle, but it was the best he could come up with off the top of his head.

Snape showed no visible sign he had been offended, merely saying, "Certainly Master, it shall of course be as you wish. It will only be necessary to purchase two or three ingredients as I have the other requirements. Perhaps we should continue our shopping now? Do you still wish to go to the muggle shoe store now, or would you prefer to go to the apothecary first?

"Let's still get the boots and shoes first, then come back to, what's the name of it? Snail and Something? for the potions and stuff."

"Slug and Jiggers Master."

"Oh yes. Well, actually, I still want to get the footwear first...but...I've just changed my mind again about going to a muggle shoe shop, because we would have to search for one in muggle London and that might take more time than we have on this trip, but the magic shoemaker is right here in the Alley."

"Your will, Master. Do you wish me to re-size your shoes now before we go to the cordwainer?"

"Oh yes. Thanks."

Harry kicked off his shoes, which were loose despite the thick paper wadding, removed the scrunched-up newspaper, and was about to hand the shoes over, but Severus forestalled him. "Please Master, put them back on; the re-sizing charm will work best that way, since it will shrink them down to fit your feet."

Harry put them back on and Severus immediately resized them to fit; Harry stood up and experimentally walked a few steps. "Thanks! They feel great."

Grinning, he sat back down again. "You know, it's stupid. . . I can't do any magic out of school because I'm underage, but I can ask you to do it for me wherever I am, and if that's not virtually the same thing then I don't know what is."

Severus smiled. "Yes indeed Master, and children with magical parents can request them for magical aid; it is the muggle-borns who are at the greatest disadvantage."

"Yeah? That's no surprise, it's as per usual I think. Hermione often has something critical to say about things like that."

"Indeed Master. Perhaps you should inform Miss Granger that the charm which informs the Ministry of under-age magic is on the wand. It might be advantageous for her to learn some wandless magic."

"Really? Just on our wands? Could we include her in the same lessons you've been giving me? It would be good for her to know anyway in case she ever loses her wand. Why don't they ever teach it officially, at school I mean?"

"I can teach her at the same time as I do you Master, it would be my pleasure." _But please don_ _'_ _t think to request inclusion of the carrot top._

"Oh good! Thanks. But why don't we learn it at school?"

"The real reasons that it has not been part of the curriculum since the early seventeen hundreds are because the Ministry does not want children using magic that they, the Ministry, cannot track, and, more importantly, they want adults to have become so reliant on their wands that they can no longer use wandless incantations. It may be of interest that the majority of the members of the Wizengamot are almost certainly not magically powerful enough to achieve wandless magic for anything but the simplest of charms and spells.

"However, the official reasons the lessons were dropped from the syllabus are firstly that it is too difficult to learn, which is nonsense; it _is_ more difficult without the focus of a wand, but given slightly above average magical strength, it is certainly achievable with practice, as indeed you have discovered. The other excuse, which would be acceptable if it were the true reason they do not want the general populace using wandless magic, is that it makes it far easier for Aurors to discover what spells may have been used and by whom when investigating crimes."

"Brilliant! . . . That you can teach her I mean, not the real reasons it isn't taught at Hogwarts. That sucks."

"Master, there are a couple of other things pertaining to underage magic, your majority and relationships with witches and others that, with your permission, we should discuss in the near future, however perhaps we have spent enough time sitting here and should now proceed to the shoemaker's premises?"

"Oh yes. Crikey, we've been here for ages. Let's go - Oh, I forgot...I want to buy you some protective gloves to wear in the lab, Dragonhide ones I mean, as Hermione says they are the best; where do we have to go to get those?"

As he was speaking Harry and Severus rose from the table and started to walk along Diagon Alley, talking as they went.

"There are several shops that have them, including Slug and Jiggers in their accessories section and the cordwainer also makes them, although his are more expensive."

"Which ones are the best? The cobbler's?...

Severus did not point out to his master the difference between a cordwainer and a cobbler, but he made a mental note to ask him privately later if he wished to be quietly corrected whenever he made an error.

Anticipating Severus' objection to his paying for the most expensive pairs, Harry added before Serverus could respond, "Aunt Petunia always says that it's false economy to buy anything but the best you can possibly afford, as cheap things never look good even when new and they wear out much faster too...though of course that only applied to the Dursleys' things, not mine as she didn't believe in buying new things for me, or even buying me second hand things either for that matter, though sometimes it meant that the clothes Dud grew out off were not so worn out as they might have been if they'd been poorer quality to begin with; like my shoes that you've just fixed for me...they feel fantastic by the way, so thanks for that."

"My pleasure...but your aunt has much to answer for," _and given the opportunity I will be doing something about making her answer for it._ "However the gloves at Slug and Jiggers are perfectly adequate as they only differ from those of the Seven League Boots _cordwainer_ by being less decorative; the leather and the protection they provide is not inferior and in fact I find them more touch-sensitive. It is impossible to wear gloves when making most potions as one loses much of the sensitivity of one's fingertips, but the gloves sold by Slug and Jiggers, due to the thinness of the material, do increase the proportion of procedures for which they may be worn."

"Oh, okay then, so long as you're sure they are just as good or better. We'll get them when we get the potion ingredients you need."

By the time they had been fitted for the boots and shoes, they had been made, and they had purchased them along with two pairs of protective gloves each and a gramme of butterfly antennae, some horned slugs, fairy urine, asafoetida, and oriental scarab beetle legs at Slug and Jiggers, and then made an unscheduled visit—and taken what seemed to Snape an inordinate amount of time—to examine brooms and also in the pet and familiar shop, not of course that it was his place to protest, the time had sped away from them and it was time to return to Mme Malkin's. The optician would have to wait, as would the hairdresser.

Harry was annoyed with himself that he had spent so long in the pet shop and looking at all the brooms when he should have been getting on with his Snape Makeover Project - but bloody hell, that Indian krait had been stunningly beautiful, and what a fantastic conversationalist! Besides, as he then mentioned to Severus, he could always make floo calls or send Hedwig with letters to make appointments at the opticians and hairdresser.

Severus was pleased to get a new winter wardrobe, especially as it was of such outstanding quality, and was particularly delighted with the two pairs of dragon-hide boots his master had bought him and with the warm long-johns. Perhaps he would not have to make and take so many doses of Chilblain Cure this winter. He had actually smiled when thanking Harry - it had almost taken his mind off the startling revelation in the pet shop that his master was a parselmouth. He had taken it upon himself to warn his master that parseltongue was looked upon by the ignorant, that is, by almost all of the wizarding public, as a dark art, and would make such people think him a dark and evil wizard. Harry, surprised that a language could be thought of as evil had wondered, once again, at wizards' lack of common-sense, but had hastily agreed that in that case it would be ise to keep secret that he possessed that ability.

Severus was not the only one feeling pleased; Harry too was feeling good, despite not getting done everything he had thought he would, he was, on reflection, still reasonably satisfied with what he had accomplished so far for his 'Severus Snape Makeover', as he had started to think of it, and he thought happily of how pleased Severus would be when he discovered the greatly increased size of his allowance which he'd arranged with the headmaster late the day before, and, not least, of how approving Hermione would surely be of his attempts to improve Severus' life. Of course, he liked people to think we'll of him, who didn't? but Hermione's approval always seemed particularly desirable, even essential.

Severus Snape Apparated himself and Side-Alonged Harry, back to just outside the wards at the school, and as it was dinner time they walked in and parted ways when they reached the Great Hall, Harry going to the Gryffindor and Severus to the staff table.

"How did it go?" Hermione asked as her friend sat down beside her.

"Quite well, well sort of…we bought the clothes, boots and gloves at least, but it all took a heck of a lot longer than I thought it would and we didn't even get around to checking out the opticians and hairdresser, let alone making appointments with them. I'll have to do that by owl. We did get the ingredients for potions to fix his, I mean our, teeth though – did you know there aren't any wizard dentists?"

"Yes, I know, everyone uses potions and spells, and the healers do too, and there are no dental specialists...but what you got done is not too bad a start; no, actually you've made quite a good start, and anyway how were you going to make appointments when you don't yet know when the headmaster will let you go back to London?"

"Well, I do know when, sort of; when I talked to him about it he said that it would _probably_ be okay to make any appointments for next Thursday or Friday or the following Wednesday or Thursday, as he could take any of the professor's classes for him on those days, but for some reason he wouldn't give me definite permission yet, so yes, you're right, owls or the floo when he lets me know for sure, will be better...

"The professor'll find out tonight that he's quite a bit better off than he has been. . . I'm thinking of going down to the rooms just so I can see his face when he finds out. I'd like to see if it really does please him, but I suppose he might think I'm there because I want him to thank me...so maybe I'd better not," Harry said, wanting Hermione's opinion, or rather, wanting her opinion to be the same as his own.

"I don't think that would matter all that much because he's going to thank you the first chance he gets anyway. In fact he'll probably think he has to drop whatever he's doing and rush off to find to you immediately, so if you're already in the dungeons that'll be more convenient for him."

"Good thinking. I appreciate logic that supports what I'm going to do anyway. Thank you 99."

"My pleasure Max."

...

Visiting the Potion Master's suite in the dungeons was Harry's practice on most evenings. As was his usual habit, when Harry arrived, Severus stood up and inclined his head, and he then asked if Harry desired his help with his homework or anything else.

"It's fine. I only have the last half left to do of Professor Kitty's essay on transfiguring things into food. Basically the whole essay is just a long winded way of saying don't ever do it, no, never never never! ... Unless of course you want to kill someone when the transfiguration turns out not to be permanent and it changes back to whatever it was to begin with, so the essay's not exactly difficult to write..." _What if I could get old Mouldieshorts to eat something I've transfigured from something lethal...have to think some more about that._

"How about you get on with whatever it is you're doing, and when we're both finished I'll get Twister to bring us up something for supper?"

Severus inclined his head in agreement and sat back down, trimmed a quill with a silver-edged knife and re-commenced marking essays. Harry regarded the writing edges of the three quills he had with him dubiously, fossicked around in his schoolbag for his penknife and after finding it, started to sharpen one of the quills. Severus didn't seem to be watching, but after a few seconds he held out his hand.

"If you give them to me I will re-cut the writing edges for you, Harry."

"Oh thanks. I don't seem to have got the knack of it exactly."

"Indeed. That certainly appears to be the case." _They look as if they have been chewed to a point by someone with sadly uneven teeth._ "If you hold your knife exactly at this angle you will find it easier Harry," he said, demonstrating, "and your knife needs to be very sharp...perhaps I may sharpen it for you?"

"Oh good. Thanks."

Less than a minute later Severus handed back both knife and quills. "Careful; the knife is sharp."

Harry gazed at them admiringly. "I think Hogwarts ought to have lessons in knife sharpening and in trimming quills. I can't ever get the knife very sharp or cut the quills to look anything like this."

"I am always here Master. However, should you wish to master the skill of knife sharpening for quills and potion ingredients, diligent practice will achieve it with a reasonable degree of alacrity."

"Yes, I suppose. Thanks for doing it for me now though," Harry smiled, and then they both got back to their tasks; with the expertly trimmed quills, the final pages of Harry's essay were to be far more legible than the first few..

About an hour and twenty minutes later Severus slashed the last red and devastating comment on the very last essay and slapped it down it on top of a pile of them. Harry, who had already finished his essay, straightened up, yawned and stretched. "Ready for..."

Twister popped in to the room. She was holding a slip of parchment which she handed to Severus. "Thank you, and thank you Master," Severus said with an inclination of his head to Harry, and he folded the piece of parchment and slipped it into his pocket without looking at it.

 _So much for watching Sev's face when he saw how much was written on the Gringotts' deposit confirmation! Ah well, he'd find out once he checked his balance_ _–_ _but it would have been nice to find out what he really thought of the increased allowance by watching his reaction before he had a chance to school his features into what he felt to be 'proper' gratitude_.

"Don't go yet Twister. Please bring us a couple of avocado and lettuce sandwiches with toasted bread, like the ones we had a couple of times last week, and a pot of Irish breakfast tea."

"Yes Master Harry. Twister easy do," and she popped away.

"Oh, I didn't think - maybe that's not what you fancy? I can call her back."

"No, that will do very well. I find them quite acceptable as you know Master."

Both wizards seated themselves in the armchairs by the fire. As Harry sat down he suddenly thought of the other thing he'd wanted to talk about with the professor.

"I've been thinking about Sara...would it be possible for you to find out for me how she's settling in? Maybe you could visit her? A few days ago we asked Mrs Weasley what sizes to get and then Hermione and I ordered some clothes and books for her and so I thought you could pick them up from Diagon Alley on the way there, them and an owl...I thought she'd like her own owl so I've ordered one for her, and it would be handy for the Weasleys to borrow as theirs is so old; well, they have Pig too, he is young but very small and not much use except for letters, not very big letters either...the thing is though, I suppose you're probably too busy?"

"I am entirely at your disposal Master. However, may I suggest that I owl or fire-call the premises concerned, and request that they deliver the clothes and books here by owl tomorrow, or by Friday morning at the latest. We could then shrink any parcels and have Hedwig and the new owl deliver them concurrently with my visit – I could visit the girl and the Weasleys on Friday when I have some free hours in the afternoon. That would give me more time to fully assess her situation and answer any questions she may have."

"Good. That would be better actually as there a few other bits and pieces that I'd like to add, more books and things...I suppose she would be too old for a plushie wouldn't she?"

"Under other circumstances, yes, she would be too old, however as it will be a gift from her master, she will treasure it." _If she has even the slighted modicum of sense she will._ "In any case, I am given to understand that some females of all ages are far more fond of soft toys than they are prepared to admit publically."

"Well, that's good then, as there's a really nice and soft green dragon that someone has sent me."

"So, I take it that at long last Albus has started to let some of your old mail through to you? It has certainly taken him long enough to have it all scanned and checked."

"Yes, the first couple of years' worth has been cleared for curses and port-keys and things by now, but it's mainly things for toddlers...I could've done with them when I was little but it's a bit too late now…anyway they would all have been given to Dudley. Still, the thoughts are nice, very nice, and it's still great to get presents whatever they are... Lots and lots of thank-you notes to write though."

"If you write out a note but leave spaces for the names, addresses and for the identity of the gift, I will multi-copy it for you and then all anyone has to do to personalise them is state the names, addresses, and any alterations aloud, and they will be filled in appropriately. May I suggest that I could do that for you, or any one of the elves here would be happy to do so."

"Wouldn't they look like copies?"

"No, not at all; the notes would appear to be handwritten originals."

"Great!...I'll write one out right now, and when you've done your bit I'll do the rest, or maybe ask Twister to do some of the names and gift names. That's brilliant—I was _not_ looking forward to all the letters _at all_ —I didn't want people to think I was such a prat that I hadn't even bothered to thank them...though they must be thinking that already as the letters and gifts were sent years ago, but I'll explain in the note how I didn't get them 'til now. Thank you!"

Several seconds later Twister brought them their sandwiches and a pot of tea. She snapped her fingers and a small folding table appeared, she threw a tablecloth over it and placed the food, drink, crockery and cutlery on it.

Harry stood up, handed the thank-you note he'd just written to Severus, and puthis hand out to grab the nearest sandwich, but Twister glared at him and he promptly dropped his hand. "What? What did I do?"

"Twister not done yet." Head aslant, she regarded the table critically. "Cloth no good. Twister fix," and she grabbed the edge of the tablecloth and yanked it off the table, leaving the food and plates which had been on the tablecloth untouched. She nodded, pleased with herself. "See masters, good trick! No magic!"

"Wow! Very impressive! No magic at all? Then you must have practiced that for ages. I'm impressed," Harry praised.

She turned to the potions master so he nodded to her. "Skilful parlour trick."

Twister took that at face value and popped away, very pleased with herself and by how astounded the masters had been at her skill.

Severus watched her go. _I wonder where she learned that? ... If she learns a few more useless tricks like that one and uses a glamour charm or two, she'll be able to pass herself off as a muggle entertainer."_ Then he looked at the note Harry'd given him, frowned slightly, murmured a few words and handed it back to him.

"Done already? Wandless too! Oh, and you've got rid of the ink blots...and the writing looks neater as well...but... you haven't changed the wording at all...what about the errors in the grammar?"

"There were none. Congratulations."

"Really? Thanks...but you could try a bit harder not to look so surprised."

"I apologise for my lamentably inadequate skills as a thespian, Master."

"A thespian?"

"An actor."

"Git!" Harry laughed. "I am pretty sure you could act with the best of them if you wanted to...in fact Hermione told me about your Potions introductory speech; she said it was very dramatic so I'm sorry I missed it. Do you give the same one every year?"

"Not exactly; I have seven versions of it which I re-cycle every seven years, so even if all the years were to compare notes, which in any case no-one would bother to do, they would think that I have a different one each time."

"Unless the people comparing versions included someone who'd had to repeat seventh year."

"In which case that person would no doubt be too dense to remember their own first year introduction to the art."


	3. Ch 2 Severus & Sara

AN: This starts off very fluffy, sorry about that, it becomes less so later.

CHAPTER TWO - Severus Visits the Weasleys

Molly sat on one of the old but comfortable armchairs that overfilled the living room at the Burrow, hugging and rocking Sara, and trying, without much success, to comfort her.

"I won't ever see Mummy again will I? I know I won't, 'cause she told me," Sara choked out.

"Well perhaps not, but you never know, you might one day, and anyway you do have a lovely letter from her. Would you like to read it now or would you like me to read it to you? And here you have me for your new ... auntie, or even a second mummy if you would like that, and lots of new brothers, and a sister who will be here in the school holidays; that'll be nice won't it?"

Molly was wishing that the children were home now as that might distract Sara a little.

The idea of her having brothers or sisters was not completely new to Sara, but that they might live with her was. Her own mother had had two other babies after Sara, both girls, but they had been sold directly they were weaned.

"Master did not sell them when they were little?... Oh no, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I forgot they're free, not like me. I promise I won't forget again."

She was crying again and cringing away from Molly, but Molly gathered her closer and again attempted to comfort her. She thought Sara was upset because she was a slave and did not realise, at least not fully, that Sara's fear was because she'd thought that Molly would be angry with her for thinking her children were slaves.

After more hugs and murmured words Sara did settle down and eventually she fell asleep. Molly carried her up the rickety stairs and put her to bed in a room that had previously been Ginny's and was next to Molly and Arthur's bedroom...

About a year earlier Ginny had persuaded her parents to let her move into a room next to Charlie's old room. She had originally wanted Charlie's room as it was both larger and, more importantly, further away from her parents than her room was; it was right at the top of the house in fact, which she thought more suitable for herself now that she was nearly a teenager, or as she thought of it, 'nearly an adult.' However her mother had pointed out that Charlie would still need his room whenever he was back in England, and instead they had greatly enlarged a small room, also on the top floor, that had been used for storage, and that turned out to be even better really, as that way her favourite brother was in a room right next to her whenever he was home.

That evening Molly checked on Sara, to find her awake, lying still, and with an apprehensive expression on her face, but when Molly entered the room, Sara jumped to her feet and stood before her, looking at the floor.

"Would you like to come downstairs for some supper dear?"

Sara bowed then nodded and breathed a reply. "Yes, thank you Mistress."

"Oh, I'm not your mistress Sara. We are your new family; so you might like to call me Molly, or perhaps Auntie Molly, would you like to do that?"

Another shy nod, and then a pause. "Aren't you my new master's auntie? Won't he be cross if call you Auntie?"

"No, he won't be cross, he won't mind at all; Harry is like another son to us and is a very dear and kind boy, so I'm sure he won't give a second's thought about that and will be happy for you to call us whatever you want to call us. You don't have to worry about a little thing like that. Anyway, Harry has asked us to look after you for him and he knows that you will be treated just like all our other children."

Sara was not too sure about that. This lady seemed very kind but she didn't seem to know much about slaves or their masters. "Will you ask him for me please?"

"Well, Harry is at school at the moment; he goes to Hogwarts, but if you come downstairs we can fire-call him."

Sara shook her head, not at all happy with the idea of disturbing him... "No! ... Please Mrs... please just ask him when he comes home. May I call you Mrs Weasley 'til then please? When will he come home?"

"Harry doesn't live here but he will probably spend some of his summer holidays with us. Never mind, call me Mrs Weasley if that's what you'd feel more comfortable with, and don't worry; I'm sure Harry will be a very kind master for you. He will not mind at all if you ask him any questions."

Molly had noticed Sara's expression, and had guessed correctly that she was upset at the idea of annoying Harry with a question about something so minor.

"Harry is a Abolitionist just like we are. Do you know what that means?" At Sara's head shake Molly continued, "An Abolitionist is someone who does not believe that anyone should be a slave and tries to have slavery outlawed. That also means that they are always kind to anyone unfortunate enough to be born a slave."

Sara said nothing. She knew that her slavery was forever. However if her master was one of these Abolitionists it did seem he might be kind to her.

…

Severus Snape, who always seemed so strong and independent, was the only slave apart from Sara that Molly Weasley had ever met, and despite Molly's being a pure-blood and aware that some masters demanded absolute obedience from their slaves, she had never realised the full extent of how indoctrinated a slave child might be. The next few weeks, to her dismay, were to open her eyes.

It soon became obvious that Sara had been taught to think of herself as a second class being; one whose whole and only purpose was to serve her master and who had none of the rights free people took for granted. Molly and Arthur even had trouble convincing her that Harry would think it was alright for her to sit on the furniture while in their presence, and not only to eat at the table but also to eat at the same time they did and have the same meals they had. They had at last convinced her by saying that as she was now part of their family Harry would expect her to follow their house rules, and their house rules included one that stated everyone in the house was to eat at the table and everyone had to eat together. Sara had seen the logic in that; if it was a house rule then she had to obey it. Her master would expect her to obey Mrs and Mr Weasley.

 _Of course_ , _her master probably didn_ _'_ _t realise how lax the house rules were; they were not too lax for the Weasley family of course, as they were all free, but too lax for slaves. So far she had not been punished once, even when she had dropped one of Mrs Weasley_ _'_ _s best cups. Actually that worried her; if she was not punished that must mean that when Mrs Weasley told her master, or when she herself had to confess all the bad things she had done, he would have to punish her for everything all at once._

Her mother had always punished her immediately whenever she had disobeyed or done something that might be considered wrong by her master, because had she not done so, when her old master found out about it he would punish both her and her mother, sometimes severely... If her new master did not come to The Burrow until Summer, then that would be three and a half months of correction all at once; the thought of that was a worry.

Molly was finding looking after Sara to be far less easy than she had thought it would be. It was not that Sara was disobedient, quite the reverse, she was an un-naturally quiet and obedient child, which was not only something to which Molly was not accustomed from her own brood, but also something she found distressing as it indicated that Sara had been brought up far too strictly. However much she and Arthur encouraged Sara to behave in a more natural manner and to play with some of the toys around the house, Sara never seemed to be really happy unless she was doing chores, studying her lessons or reading books on first year charms and potions.

Sara did not know if she would be permitted to be a student at Hogwarts when she was old enough, in fact she thought it extremely unlikely, but just in case her master was so good as to allow her to be educated there, she was determined to show him that she would always work hard and be a good student. Even at her young age she knew that the more skills a slave possessed the more useful it was to its master and so the less likely it was to be sold. The fear of being sold, possibly to someone worse than their current master, was the source of many a slave's nightmares.

One morning, while they were eating breakfast, there was the sound of tapping at the window; two owls, both with tiny parcels attached to their legs, were trying to catch their attention. Molly recognised one of them as being Harry's owl Hedwig, and rushed to let them in.

Hedwig flew over to Sara, perched on the back of a chair and held out her leg, and the other owl, a large silvery-grey bird, stood on the windowsill and awaited his turn. Sara looked at Molly to see what she should do.

Molly smiled. "I think they are both for you dear, and from Harry by the looks of it. The white owl is called Hedwig; she's Harry's owl."

An overwhelmed and apprehensive Sara gingerly took the parcel from Hedwig and read what was written on the attached tag.

 _Dear Sara,_

 _This parcel is under a Shrinking Charm, so please ask Mr or Mrs Weasley to expand it for you and then press your thumb against the catch._

 _Kind Regards,_

 _Harry._

Sara handed the parcel to Molly, and Molly, who had a good idea of what the box contained and how big it would be when expanded, placed it on the floor away from any furniture and touched it with her wand. It immediately expanded into an ornately carved teak chest which was approximately the size of two large suitcases. Sara, pushed back behind her right ear that tress of black hair that was forever annoying her by falling forward, and approached it cautiously, and before she pressed her thumb on the catch she looked back at Molly, her face lit up with delight but still not quite willing to allow herself to believe that it really was just for her. "It really is for me?"

"Yes love. Open it up dear; it won't bite."

It appeared to be packed nearly full with clothes; Wizarding robes, underwear, shoes and some Muggle jeans, blouses and pullovers, all obviously of good quality. On top of them lay another note from Harry.

 _Dear Sara,_

 _Mrs Weasley tells me that you have been wearing some of the clothes Ginny has grown out of, some of which may not be completely suitable for you. While I am sure that some of them are both nice and suitable, I know what it's like to have no choice but to wear someone else_ _'_ _s_ _'_ _hand-me-down_ _'_ _clothes,_ _so_ _I want you to have a few things to wear which have never belonged to anyone else. These have been bought for you using measurements Mrs Weasley has provided. I am sorry that I did not think to get them for you before now._

 _Please tell Mrs Weasley that if I_ _'_ _ve forgotten anything to let me know._

 _Mrs Weasley also tells me that you are good at school work and are very advanced for your age, so the other box contains some Hogwarts first and second year text books you might like_ _–_ _and a few Muggle and Wizarding world story books._

 _Kind Regards,_

 _Harry_

Neither Molly nor Arthur could quite conceal their amusement at the completely gob-smacked expression on Sara's face and then her stuttered, "He must be the kindest master in the world!"

At that moment the floo flared and Severus Snape's head appeared in the fireplace and he asked if he could come through.

Molly nodded, "Of course Severus, come through," and then she turned back to Sara, "Well, I don't know about that, but he certainly is a very kind and thoughtful boy, as you will discover."

"See? We keep telling you that you do not have to worry all the time about being quite so obedient. Harry knows that all children make mistakes: he is not that much older than you are, after all. I'm sure he wants you to relax, forget that he is your master and just enjoy yourself," Arthur put in.

Had either of them being looking at Severus's face they might have noticed the expression in his eyes.

"How are you Severus? Is everything alright with the boys? What have they done now?" Molly was worried that there might be bad news about Fred and George, as Severus was not in the habit of visiting for no particular reason.

"Not at all Molly; the twins have been remarkably well behaved of late - or, if they have not, I have found no evidence of it. No, I'm here because I have been asked by my master to see how Sara is settling in, and if any of you have any needs or questions now that she has been here for just over two months."

"That's a relief; those boys are usually the only reason I'm contacted by the school...we do have a couple of questions, and Sara probably has a few things she would like to ask you."

She turned to Sara. "Sara, do you remember Professor Snape? He was the one who brought you here, remember?"

"I do remember you sir, you belong to the same..." Sara blushed and could not continue.

"Yes Sara. No need to blush, you are correct; we both have the same master."

He looked at her searchingly and then turned to the Weasleys. "I think that Sara may have some questions that she would prefer to ask me privately. Is there a room we could use?" Also there were some things he wished to tell her privately, but he did not mention that.

Molly looked put out that she would not hear whatever it was that Snape intended to talk to Sara about, and was about to protest but Arthur put his hand on her arm before she could say anything.

"Of course Severus, Sara will feel free to say whatever she wishes if she knows we're not listening," Arthur added, mainly for his wife's benefit.

"Come with me please," and he led them from the kitchen and into a small sitting room. "Will this do?"

"Yes thank you Arthur; it is ideal."

After Arthur had left to return to the kitchen Severus motioned for Sara to sit down and then cast several silencing charms around them both before seating himself on a straight backed chair opposite her.

Sara had her head down and was pretending to look down at the floor, but in reality was looking at him through her eyelashes. Professor Snape puzzled her; he looked so elegant, and bore himself with an air of proud dignity and reserve, not like a slave at all. Then, thinking this strangely imposing and self-confident slave might notice where she was really looking and think her impertinent, she lowered her eyes properly and waited for whatever he had to say to her.

"Look up at me Sara; I am not your master so there is no need to lower your eyes." When she raised her eyes he continued, "how do you like living here Sara? Are they treating you well? You need have no concerns about telling me the truth. Whatever you tell me will not be repeated to the Weasleys... In fact you _must_ tell me as our master has asked me to find out how you are settling in here."

Sara recognised an order when she heard one, even one related to her second hand. "Yes sir, very well. I mean they treat me very well." However she was distracted by thoughts about the two boxes in the other room and broke out, "Do you have a message for me from our master sir? Did you see the huge parcels he just sent me?" She took a quick breath and opened her mouth to continue.

Snape nodded and then held up his hand to stop her saying anything more. "Just a moment Sara, we can talk about that later; forget about those parcels for the moment. First of all, our master wants to know more about how you like it here at the Burrow and how the Weasleys are treating you."

"They are wonderful sir, very kind. I have my own room and bed and I even eat with them and everything …but...but... I don't think they really understand about us, about the bonds and things; they treat me as if I'm one of their children."

"Yes, from the little I saw a moment ago, I suspected that might be the case. They intend to be kind of course, but do not fully understand the realities of our situation, and that if we start to think of ourselves as completely free, it can have rather nasty consequences. I think you understand that very well though don't you Sara? It seems that despite your being so young, your mother has impressed upon you the realities of being a slave, and you seem to be a sensible little girl."

"Yes, mum explained it all to me, or a lot of it anyway, all about the spells and laws and everything, and my old master was strict with us. He punished us every time we did anything wrong and gave us obedience lessons every few weeks or whenever he felt we needed them."

' _Or rather, whenever the bastard felt like it_ ,' Severus thought.

"Obedience lessons?"

"Yes, magically or the cane usually... and other things of course."

"I see." _Only too well._ "Your previous master, unfortunately, was typical of many or even of most masters. Our master is more lenient; however please remember that does _not_ mean he will, or even _can_ , ignore any disrespectful behaviour. Moreover, he is young and still comparatively new to being a master, so our master/slave bonds have not exerted their full influence upon him yet.

"You must never forget to be absolutely respectful and obedient to him. Even if our bonds do not manage to change our master at all, you must be careful not to let the way you live here make you forget what you are, whose property you are, and how you must behave. If you do not, if you get out of the habit of it, then when you grow up, your bond will expect behaviour of you with which you will find it very difficult to comply... If you have ever witnessed your mother suffering the sort of punishment a slave bond can give an adult slave, then you must know how unpleasant that can be, and usually is. Can you promise me that Sara? That you will remember what is required of you? The bond itself will help by reminding you of course."

"Yes sir. I haven't ever seen mummy being punished by her bond, but she told me it could happen and was horrible."

"Yes indeed... Now, do you have any questions or concerns with which I may be able to help you?"

"Yes sir. Thank you. When do you think master will visit here? When I do bad things Mrs Weasley doesn't punish me, and she says that master is not here very often... so when he does come... Does he use Crucio to punish us?

"No he does not, not ever. I understand your concern but you have no need to worry that he will do anything as harsh as that; in fact we are remarkably fortunate in that our master refuses to use any magical punishments at all, as he believes them all to be far too painful. On the very few occasions when I have forgotten my place or otherwise offended, the bond, he has not punished me severely, in fact he has only reprimanded me, so I don't think that he will punish you severely either; he will probably only do it just enough to satisfy the bond. Moreover I do not think he will ever give you any so-called 'obedience lessons.' "

"Gosh! Thank you. . . But if it is a really long time before I see him again, there will be lots and lots of things I've done wrong, so he will have to give me punishments for a lot of things all at once."

"I understand. I will speak with our master and ask his permission to tell Mr and Mrs Weasley that you need to be corrected immediately whenever you are disobedient, or your bond may exact a more painful punishment, or our master will have to punish you. Will that set your mind at rest?"

Sara nodded and said, "Yes, thank you sir." She was not completely convinced, however she put that aside for the moment to ask another question. "May I ask another question please?"

"Ask as many questions as you wish Sara, within reason."

"Thank you sir. Do you think that if I study hard our master might let me have a wand and even perhaps go to Hogwarts? Mrs Weasley told me that it costs a lot of money to go there, so I suppose he won't, but if he does let me go, how will the free children treat me? I know I'll not be able to go to Hogwarts for very long anyway as master will want me to start having babies once I start to be old enough, but perhaps he might let me go 'til then, do you think?"

"I cannot answer for our master of course, but I think it is certain that he will let you have a wand and probably even go to Hogwarts as a student. …As for having babies, I do not think that our master will wish to breed from you for many years yet, and in fact, almost certainly, he never will...I am not privy to our master's thoughts of course, but the box of books he has just given you indicates that he may intend you to go to Hogwarts."

"You really think so? I thought that master had probably sent me the books for self study?"

"That may be so. Again, I cannot answer for him. However I feel that it is is probable he will allow you to attend the school and that the books are so that you can prepare yourself for that. As for how the other children may treat you; I do not think that most of them will treat you badly merely because of your status, however no doubt there will be one or two, perhaps more, who may not be nice to you or even try to bully you for that or for other reasons, so I shall suggest to our master that he puts a monitoring charm on you so they will have to deal with not only me but also with the Boy Who Lived if they are foolhardy enough to do anything. Our master hates bullies."

"The Boy Who Lived?"

"Yes of course, although he is less than fond of the title." At her blank look he added, "surely you know who our master is?"

"Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived?"

"Yes. Has no-one told you who our master is? Even if your mother or previous master did not tell you who was buying you, Molly and Arthur must have mentioned his name surely?"

"They just call him 'Harry' or 'your master' – The Boy Who Lived is my master!" Sara wore a silly grin.

"Merlin! Don't get carried away child. Yes, by all means be thankful you have a master who is a kind young man, and a famous and powerful wizard, but do not degenerate into a fan-girl. He loathes being idolised or flattered for something he cannot remember doing…Any books and stories you may have read about him are just that, just fictional stories which have been made up out of someone's imagination, so put them completely out of your head and try to appreciate him for the kind young man and powerful wizard that he is, and not as some imaginary story book hero...

Moreover, whoever your master happened to be, your bond will do its best to push you into an unreasoning worship of him, so you will need to be extra careful. As I'm sure your mother has impressed upon you, a slave's only hope of having a happy life is to please its master, and if you behave as a fan-girl you will not please him at all."

That subdued Sara at once. She nodded. "I think I understand sir...well,

sort of; I must be very obedient and work hard for him but not... not... well it's difficult, but just behave like a normal slave with her master."

"Do not worry unduly. I think you will manage rather well. You are remarkably mature for an nine year old, and it is another two years before you will be likely to live either near or in our master's suite of rooms at Hogwarts, or even meet our master very often. Just follow your instincts, take heed of what your bond tells you, and if you have problems you can ask my advice. Just send me your owl."

"But...I don't have an owl; do you mean one of Mr Weasley's owls?"

"You do now. The large silver-grey owl who brought one of the parcels is a present for you. Be sure to write to our master to thank him for the clothes, books and the owl...and make sure you are careful to look after the owl very well indeed; our master loves animals, so he would not be happy to hear that you were not looking after him carefully. Plus of course, the owl is really our master's property, not yours, so he must be treated with respect for that reason also. There are a couple of books on owl care that you must read, and a perch and some owl food and treats, in the box the owl brought.

Molly knows that you are getting him and when he is not with you he is to live in their owlery with their owls. One of the Weasleys' owls is old and the other is small, so neither of them can carry large parcels even when they are shrunk and have a lightening charm on them, and having so many children they could do with another and more useful owl. So of course you must allow them to use your owl whenever they wish to do so."

Sara's mouth was hanging open rather unattractively. "My own owl! My own owl!"

"Close your mouth child, you look ridiculous...Yes, your own owl. Not legally yours of course, but our master considers him to be yours."

"I have the best master in the whole world!"

"H'm, I'm inclined to agree; however remember what I said about fan-girl behaviour. Think what you like inside, but show only quiet gratitude and respect. Show your gratitude for his kindness by obedience and hard work and hide the full extent of your emotions as best you can. Few masters wish to be burdened by an excess of emotion from their slaves."

"Yes sir; that is what mum always said, well it's sort of what she said, but I'm so excited. Sorry! He is so good, and you are too, coming all the way here to talk to me and everything. You are so good to me!"

"Yes, well, we are virtually family after all." Snape sounded disconcerted..."I am here at the behest of our master. He is the one you must thank... I suggest that you write your 'thank you letter' to him, while I am still here; I can then check it to make certain the tone and words are those appropriate from a slave to her master. I shall also check your spelling, grammar and penmanship, so write it carefully. I'm sure you wish to create a good impression on him."

He paused and gave the suspicion of a smile in that the side of his upper lip quirked for a moment . "Our master, due to his being brought up by muggles, had some difficulty with using a quill at first, so he is impressed by a beautiful hand."

Then thinking that sounded like a criticism he hastened to add, "He now writes beautifully of course," _well, he does when he allows me to write for him,_ "but he still appreciates the skill involved in using a quill."

He went on, changing the subject. "Did your mother or previous master tell you the name of the bond to which you are subject?"

"Mum told me the name but I can't remember it, 'Servus' something? She said my new master would probably tell me all about it and. . explain it to me." Sara did know a little more about it than that, but was reluctant to talk about it with someone she hardly knew, even though he too was a slave, and however kind and understanding he seemed to be.

"No doubt he will, in time, when you are older." _Not that our master would know it in any detail himself, and unless it's explained to him it is unlikely that he will be aware of the full extent of the bond for a few years yet, then the bond itself will enlighten him, no doubt._

"Since you cannot remember the name of it I need to cast a scanning spell to find out which bond it is. Stand up and keep still for a moment."

When Sara stood up he pointed his wand at her and then circled it around; it came to rest pointing at her heart. Above Sara's head a deep blue haze with black streaks appeared. The dark streaks gradually formed into words in what Severus knew to be Aramaic and could read. Then they dissipated. Snape's face revealed nothing.

"What bond is it sir?"

"I'm not sure Sara," he lied. "I shall have to investigate it further".

"There is one other thing Sara. Always remember that apart from affectionate hugs from Molly or Arthur or Ginevra, no-one, absolutely no-one, whoever they are or claim to be, must touch you in any... personal...way at all, without our master's express permission."

He held out to her a silver ring in the form of a small snake with tiny emeralds for eyes.

"He told me to give you this. Put it on either hand, but I suggest that if you are right handed then put it on a finger on your left hand and vise versa... Good. Now that you have it on, no-one except our master can remove it. Indeed, were you to lose that finger the ring would detach itself from it and find you again. Apart from its other capabilities, it is also a portkey, nd if rubbed or twisted while you say 'Sanctorum" it will transport you to our master's quarters at Hogwarts or to some other safe place, possibly to wherever our master is at the time, so long as it is safe and convenient to our master for you to be there of course. If that is not the case it will transport you to a safe place, probably Hogwarts or to one of our master's houses - I have a similar ring myself." He held out his left hand to show her a larger but identically marked ring on his ring finger. "If you feel threatened by anyone, even the slightest bit threatened by anyone or anything, you must use it at once. That is his direct order you understand. We are vulnerable to abuse from free wizards and witches, but as the property of the Boy Who Lived we are also in danger because there are still many Death Eaters and DE sympathisers at large who might like to attack him by kidnapping or harming his property. That must not be allowed to happen; _we_ must not allow it to happen. That is why you must, absolutely must, use your portkey if you feel even the slightest bit threatened."

Sara had slipped the ring on to her third finger of her right hand and was gazing at it admiringly. She had been puzzled that her master had taken such care to protect her and Professor Snape like that, and had thought that it was probably because he must have paid so much money to buy them, but now that Professor Snape had explained that anyone attacking her was really attacking her master, it made much more sense and was obviously important.

She looked up and nodded solemnly. "Yes sir, I understand. But what if someone kidnaps me and I don't have time to rub the ring? What if they stun me and when I wake up my hands are tied so I can't use it?"

"In that case all you have to do is imagine yourself rubbing it and say or even merely think 'Sanctorum' and what you wish it to do... Say the word for me now so I can be certain you can say it correctly – stop! – don't rub the ring at the same time!"

Sara, who had almost touched the ring, jerked her hand back just in time. She said "Sanctorum," carefully and Snape gave a slight nod to show that she had pronounced it correctly.

"If you say or think the words 'hide ring' while simultaneously thinking of the ring, it will disappear and only re-appear when you say 'reveal ring.' It is advisable to keep it hidden at all times because then no-one will know you have it, and although it cannot be taken from you, it might be painful if someone were to try, and it does not have to be visible to be usable."

"Thank you sir... sir...there is something else...I... I'm not pretty, and you said that master probably doesn't want me for breeding either...so then how can I be useful? He won't sell me will he?" Sara felt a shiver of fear.

"Set your mind completely at rest about being sold. That will not happen. He bought you because he feared that if he did not, then your old master might sell you to someone who would be cruel to you. For that same reason he will not wish to risk you being with a cruel master were he to sell you himself. There are other reasons which I cannot explain without his permission, why I'm certain that it is highly unlikely that our master will ever sell either of us... As for your not being pretty; I will not lie to you, that may be true at the moment, however I think that your looks are of the sort that improve with age. You may never be pretty as your features are too strong for that, but you may grow up to be interesting-looking or even beautiful. Even if that does not eventuate, our master may allow you to use beauty charms when you are older."

"So he may want me when I am old enough then?"

"Perhaps."... _He will be an unusual young man if he does not at least occasionally take advantage of having a young woman who is only too eager to have sex with him. However, somehow I think he may not do that. To be more cynical about it, being who he is, there will always be dozens of prettier females who are also eager to be the recipients of his attention._ "But do not make the mistake of judging him by your previous master, or even from what your mother may have tried to prepare you for, our master is a most unusual wizard; he may not wish or even permit you to serve him traditionally at all. If he allows you to be educated, as I think he will, he will probably allow you to work for him in ways other than those traditional for all slaves, but particularly for females. However it is premature for you to worry about any of this. Your duty at the moment is only to obey Mr and Mrs Weasley and to work hard at your studies."

"I shall do that sir... I do hope you're right about me getting better looking later on, because I want to please him."

Severus sighed. "Yes, of course you do... but remember, it will be years before you have to worry about that at all. In any case, our master is a most unusual young man, quite unlike most males his age, he thinks character far more important than looks. He once commented to me that he found it odd and very disappointing that almost everyone seemed to think being beautiful was a virtue, whereas in reality it was merely luck.

"So, Sara, unless you have more questions I think that will be all for now. It is unfortunate, but you must lways make sure you remember what you are and your place. Our master has asked Molly and Arthur to be his representatives with regard to you, so you must obey them in everything…except if it is something you are certain our master would neither like nor permit. . . and work hard at your lessons. . . As I said before, no-one, and that includes Molly and Arthur, must be allowed to touch you inappropriately... if anyone should attempt to touch you in an inappropriate way, you are to refuse to allow it and to contact me or come to me or our master, via your ring, at once. . . I am certain it is extremely unlikely that such a thing would happen, at least while you are living here, but if it should then I want you to know exactly what our master will expect you to do. Do you understand?"

"You mean that because I'm our master's property only he can touch my body? I know that anyway because Mummy told me. Or someone he gives permission to I suppose."

"Not quite how I would have put it, but yes, essentially yes." _And, on reflection, I'm almost certain Harry would never think of taking advantage of you himself that way either, certainly not for years, and perhaps not even then._

Sara bowed her head. "I will sir. I promise. Thank you for helping me and please tell my master how grateful I am for the boxes of clothes and books and even more for this ring and my owl. May I write to thank him now?"

"Yes of course you may, in fact as I said before, you _must_ do so. When you have written your letter and I have checked it for you, you can send it off with your new owl. Go now and unpack your books – you will find some parchment, quills and bottles of ink in the second box."

"Thank you very much sir. Goodbye." Sara walked out of the room and back into the living room where Arthur and Molly were sitting. The boxes were no longer there, and on seeing her look around for them, Molly told her they had been levitated up to her room and the large owl had gone to their owlery. Sara excused herself and ran up the stairs.

Severus had followed her out to where Molly and Arthur were still waiting. "May I use your floo to contact my master please Arthur? I need to ask his advice and get his permission to tell you what I believe needs to be done."

"Yes, of course," Arthur agreed. "If you need privacy, there's another connected floo in the room you were just in, and the floo powder's in the green jar on the mantelpiece."

"Thank you Arthur. I shan't take long."

Severus threw the powder into the fire and called, "Headmaster Dumbledore's suite, Hogwarts." When the headmaster's head appeared he asked, "Albus, could you ask my master to come to your office so I can speak to him please?"

"Yes of course dear boy. You're lucky; he happens to be right here with me and professor McGonagall at the moment." He turned away from the fire to say, "Harry my boy, Severus wishes to ask you something I believe."

Harry walked over to the headmaster's fireplace. "Hello Sev. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, thank you Master. It is merely that I require your permission to talk to Molly and Arthur about Sara's bond and tell them what I believe it requires of them. May I do that Master?"

"Yes, of course you can, just do whatever you think best; you understand about it far better than I do anyway. When you come back you can tell me all about it."

"I am most grateful Master."

"No need for that. Anyway, even if we discussed it beforehand, in the end I'd only do as you suggested. I totally trust you, so please tell them whatever you think they need to know."

After a further expression of his gratitude, Severus broke the connection, and then returned to the kitchen.

"You wish to talk to us?" Arthur asked as Severus walked back in.

"Yes, thank you..." Severus hesitated for a moment; he didn't think that what he intended to say would be welcome news to Molly and Arthur...

"What I am about to say and ask of you may offend your sense of justice and ethical behaviour, however it needs to be said for Sara's sake, so please endeavour to have an open mind about it."

Snape paused yet again, to gather his thoughts. "The bond under which Sara is enslaved is a very old one. I haven't told her the name of it and in fact I have told her that I do not know exactly what it is, which was, partially, a lie, however, as it is a strict and harsh bond I thought it inadvisable to explain it to her at this time, as she might have expected me to do had I known about it. More importantly, I do not know if our master would wish Sara to know all the details at present, or for those details to be known by anyone in fact, so, unfortunately, I cannot tell you the details of it either, except that, as it is ancient and consequently severe in its restrictions as to her behaviour, it is important that Sara not set herself against it in any way at all, as the consequences if she were to do so might be most unpleasant for her, and distressing for our master too I believe, as he is an exceptionally good natured young man, so any punishment the bond were to give Sara would be most upsetting for him."

"Oh no. . . We were hoping that Sara was under a more. . . well, one of the more lenient bonds. . .not that any of them are exactly kind of course. . . Do you mean that the bond is one of those that will itself punish Sara if she fails to behave in the manner it expects?" asked Arthur.

"Yes, that is exactly what I believe to be the case, and not only if she fails to behave correctly, but also if she starts to think of herself as equal in importance to her master... My master once told me that I am at liberty to inform anyone, if it became necessary or if I wished to do so, of my own bond...and as I believe you already know, it is common knowledge, why Mr James Potter bought me and that my bond is also strict, I will tell you some of the details of my bond. . . However I must request that you treat what I am about to tell you as confidential."

"Yes of course," Molly answered for them both and Arthur nodded in agreement. "We won't breathe a word to anyone; I imagine that neither you nor Harry are too keen on everyone knowing your business more than they already do."

"Thank you Molly, Arthur. . . with strict bonds such as mine, were I to do or say something the bond considers inappropriate, even if that transgression were accidental or inadvertent, and my master not punish me for it—or at the very least reprove me for it—within a certain time frame, then the bond itself would exact a punishment that would almost certainly be quite painful both physically and emotionally, far more so than anything he would need to do or say to me, and also by that stage it might be quite difficult for my master to stop the bond from doing so. Consequently, and after being subject to a few of such bond induced punishments over the years, I have trained myself to behave, even to think, in the manner the bond expects and requires.

"That was particularly difficult and unpleasant for me when first I became an adult and the bond matured. That was partly due to the upbringing I had as a child and when belonging to my first master: he was a good man and with the best of intentions he brought me up almost as his son, so my childhood was happy. As a result of that I was hardly aware that I was actually his slave. That was facilitated by the bond I am under being one where a child can be given a great deal of leniency if the master so wishes. However, when I matured, and the bond matured in response to my new maturity, which unfortunately for me happened concurrently with the death of my master and my being inherited by the Malfoys, it was not only an extremely cruel and sadistic new owner with whom I had to contend, it was also a mature and therefore suddenly far more cruel bond, which punished me on the rare occasions when my master forgot to do so. I learned quickly what the bond demanded of me, but the process would have been far quicker and easier, far less painful, had I been in the habit of thinking of myself as a slave, had my mind fully accepted the required submission, behaviour and obedience..."

"So, are you saying that Sara should not ever think of herself as entirely free?"

"Yes Arthur, absolutely, that is exactly what I'm saying; it is essential. The behaviour her bond probably requires of her now is quite strict, and what it will require of her when she matures will be even more exacting. Unless she feels herself to be absolutely the possession of our master, and unless she puts his interests completely above her own, the bond will punish her, probably quite severely, when she matures, and possibly even now to some extent."

Both Molly and Arthur were appalled. This was far worse for Sara than they had thought it to be, and they had thought it bad enough to begin with.

Arthur was the first to realise why Severus had thought it necessary to tell them some of his personal history. "You are trying to tell us that treating Sara exactly as if she were our daughter is not in her long term interests?"

"Regrettably, that is correct. You may certainly let her know that she is loved, in fact please do so, but at the same time she should be made to understand that although the attitude and manners she can use with people other than our master can, with his permission, sometimes be almost that appropriate between equals, her attitude towards and obedience of her master, and to you as his representatives, must always be one of absolute subservience. For her to think otherwise could be a recipe for disaster."

"But how can we do that? How can we even start... oh the poor girl." Molly was nearly in tears.

"I have not consulted my master at length about this, however when i spoke with him a moment ago, he permitted me to have some autonomy on the subject, and so until I do consult him as to the details, may I suggest that you do not over-emphasise our master's leniency to Sara, and also, that you use some form of punishment, be it merely a scolding—although some form of physical punishment would be safer—whenever she says or does anything to which the bond might object. It may not have to be corporal punishment, although that would almost certainly be the most effective, and unfortunately that is to what both she and her bond are accustomed.

"She should be encouraged to tell you immediately of any transgression and to accept, and even show her gratitude, at least by verbally thanking you, for any punishment you give her. After all, your punishment will stop the bond from exacting its own more painful punishment, so indeed she will be and should be grateful for it."

Molly had collapsed back on to the sofa. Arthur, perhaps made of sterner stuff, enquired, "But how are we to know what the bond expects... what it 'thinks' should be punished? I hate the idea of corporal punishment of any child, but if what you say is correct... and of course, as you are representing Harry, it must be right, you wouldn't be able to lie about it. . . Not that you would about such a subject anyway of course," he added hurriedly, "so we will have to do as you say I suppose, but as I said, how are we to know when to punish her and how much is needed, and if we can get away with just a scolding or a non-physical punishment?"

"Sara herself will be able to advise you. She will know almost instinctively when she has acted or spoken inappropriately, and once you have corrected her she will be able to feel if the bond finds it sufficient.

At the moment she is worried that since you have not corrected any of her behaviour by any punishment at all, when our master next visits he will have to give her a severe correction; that is, all her punishments at once. Her former master used to give her a painful so-called 'obedience lesson' each month or even more often, and I'm sure that would have been in addition to any punishments she had received any time she transgressed. She had not even considered what punishment the bond itself might impose. Probably due to the frequency of those so-called 'lessons', her bond has never felt it necessary to punish her itself, so she is probably not aware, or not fully aware, of what such punishment might entail."

"But she hasn't done anything wrong! She is the best behaved child I have ever known!" Molly protested vehemently.

"Actually, I am sure she has. For instance, she told me that she recently broke one of your cups; that is something that, as she is aware of it, so will her bond be aware of it, and for which it will expect her master, or you as his representatives, to punish her. It will probably allow a period of time, perhaps even as much as a month or two, for that punishment to happen – especially as she feels remorse for it and recognises that she should be punished for it..."

"But she shouldn't! It was a complete accident!" Molly exclaimed indignantly.

Severus shook his head. "Unfortunately that does not excuse us; it does not excuse a slave. We must not be so careless as to allow accidents to occur. The bond will think her deserving of punishment for carelessness with your property, if nothing else, as does Sara herself." He ignored Molly's spluttering and continued, "As I was saying, the bond will allow some period of time to pass before starting to punish her itself. After all, a master cannot be expected to rush to punish his slaves immediately they offend, as that might be inconvenient for him.

"I suggest you punish her or at least scold her severely and as soon as possible for that, and for any other offences of which she tells you...and you must insist that she tells you of every one. Actually, you will probably not need to insist as she herself will wish to confess any transgression because she will be urged to do so by the bond spell.

"Remember, if you do not punish her at the time, then either my master, when he visits, will have to punish her for several things all at once, or the bond will. Neither of those options is pleasant. Although my master is starting to understand the less pleasant aspects of being our master, I believe that were he forced to punish her severely it would distress him greatly. He is yet a child himself, and an unusually kind child at that."

"What about alternative punishments such as time-out or withdrawal of privileges?"

"You can certainly try them, and if you do then Sara will be able to tell if they satisfy the requirements of her bond, but they are unlikely to be completely effective unless her transgression is minor, because even the most recent slave bonds were created in times, not so long ago, when corporal punishment was the accepted norm in both our world and the muggle one, not only for slaves but also for wives, one's own children, apprentices, schoolchildren, retainers and other free servants, and other sorts of consequences were hardly considered to be punishments at all. And as I said before, Sara and I are subject to bonds originally created long ago, at least a thousand years ago, probably more, and what was considered a normal punishment then would truly appall you now. Even though many of the ancient bonds have mellowed greatly over the years and in response to the changing views of some later masters, they are still a century or two behind the permissiveness of our times. "

"However, so long as you do what is required at the time, there may be no need for you to be overly severe, at least that is my hope. I think that even if the bond insists on corporal punishment, then two or three, or at the most four or five, reasonably light strokes of a cane over her clothed behind for each relatively minor transgression might suffice to satisfy the bond spell, and as she seems to be determined to be a good and obedient servant, there are not likely to be as many instances of her misbehaving as there might be with any other child. . . This, no doubt, all seems strange and even revolting to you, but Sara will be much happier if you do as I suggest. At present she is a worried little girl, and with good reason."

"Oh!" Molly was crying again, and Arthur was hard put not to join her.

"There is no need to distress yourself unduly Mrs Weasley. Whatever punishments you have to give her are certain to be less than she has been accustomed to receive, so she will still consider you both to be remarkably kind and indulgent."

"Is there no way the bond can be altered, no way of getting around it at all?" Arthur asked.

"No direct way as far as I'm aware, not immediately at least, however it's possible that over time her bond may become aware that she is in the possession of an indulgent master and gradually soften its attitude in response to that knowledge."

"You keep speaking of her bond as if it is capable of reasoning."

"In an extremely limited sense, it is. When created they were given sets of general rules to which the slaves must comply and what punishments must be given before any transgression were to be forgiven. Nevertheless, slave bonds, to a limited degree, are usually aware of anything the slave itself is consciously aware of—of whatever the slave experiences—and from that they have, again only to some degree, the ability to learn and adjust to what the master wishes - to what pleases or displeases him, how severe or lenient he likes to be. Regrettably, they are unintelligent and learn slowly, and they also tend to adjust to a severe master more quickly than they adjust to a kind one. . .or so it has always seemed to me. . .

At that moment Sara appeared at the lounge room door and holding a piece of parchment. Molly turned aside to disguise her emotion. Severus greeted Sara and held out his hand for the letter. He read it through quickly, then automatically, as if it were a potions essay he was marking, but thankfully in blue not red ink, amended it by adding a couple of commas, deleting three others, changing a 'quiet' to 'quite' and adding–after a "tsk" of disapproval—the letters 'ly' to several adjectives to turn them into the adverbs they should have been, but did nothing else either to alter the grammar or improve the penmanship, both of which he found acceptable for a child of her age.

"This is quite well written Sara, and shows your proper gratitude. Do you wish to send it by your owl as I suggested earlier, or would you like me to take it with me? I shall be with our master very soon after I return to Hogwarts."

"Thank you sir… I think…please take it with you...It really is respectful enough? I don't want to make master angry."

"No, do not distress yourself. It is written exactly as it should be, so our master will be pleased with it and with its author, I'm sure."

Sara blushed. "Thank you sir."

Severus stood up from the armchair he'd been sitting in. "Now, forgive me everyone, but I must bid you goodbye for now and return to Hogwarts, as my master may be awaiting my report on my visit here... If anyone has other questions or if there is anything I can help you with, please contact me by floo or owl… Molly and Arthur, my master has directed me to put myself at your convenience, so do not hesitate to ask."

When Severus had left through the floo and Sara had gone back upstairs to unpack her new trunks, Arthur commented to his wife, "Even though Harry has apparently told him to help us with Sara, I don't think we should bother him with anything unless it's urgent. The poor man must have enough to do as it is, what with teaching, being Slytherin's head of house and also being at Harry's beck and call at all times. I understand he gives him private lessons in potions which must be time consuming and he probably helps him in in his other subjects as well."

"Oh dear, do you think so? I suppose he did look rather tired, now you've mentioned it. . .though he always has looked pale hasn't he? But he does seem to have a high opinion of Harry so surely he can't be all that demanding."

"Mm, but after being owned by Malfoy, and I've heard tales of how disgustingly cruel he was to him, then James and Lily, and then Harry, must seem wonderful by contrast… As Severus is always so dignified and treats almost everyone like an equal, it's all too easy to forget what being a slave must really be like for him. Do you think I should have a word with Harry? He probably doesn't realise what long hours Severus must work."

"It might be a good idea, or perhaps mention it to Albus and let him tell Harry?"

"I'll do that ...Having a master again after about ten years of comparative freedom must be awfully difficult for him too, however good Harry is to him."

"But you know Arthur, I feel sorry for Harry as well," Molly said, shaking her head. "It must have been an awful shock to him to find out he owned a slave, and then to have to rescue Sara as well."

"Not to mention these latest revelations about their bonds. I wonder how he's coping with having to play the master to Snape. . .let alone how he might feel if he has to punish Sara like Severus thinks he will, especially if we don't – from what we know of him, he's definitely not the sort of perverted character to enjoy that...which means we really must try to be stricter with her, for his sake as well as hers. Oh damn it all."

"Well dear, you'd better ask Professor Dumbledore what he thinks about it all when you ask him to make sure Severus isn't being overworked."

"Not much point in doing that; he won't be able to do anything about how Harry treats Snape or what Harry asks him to do, apart from advising him that is, but he might be able to reduce Sev's official workload to compensate for the extra work Harry causes him. . . Somehow I don't think he will though."

"Of course he will! Once he realises what long hours Severus must be working."

"Perhaps you're right dear." _I don't think so. You always have more faith in the headmaster_ _'_ _s good nature than I have Molly dear._


	4. Chapter 3 Plans and Elves

Chapter 3.  
Plans and Elves

As Severus had been asked by his master to find out how Sara was settling in with the Weasleys and if there were any problems, he had spent the last couple of hours of Friday afternoon in visiting them.

Later that same day, after Harry had eaten a tasty but rather fat laden evening meal in the Great Hall, he walked down to the dungeons, and after lightly knocking on the door to Severus's rooms, strolled in and threw himself down onto the softer of the two dark green leather armchairs by the fire. Severus, who had been writing a few choice comments in scarlet ink across some unfortunate's excuse for an essay, stood up as Harry came in, walked forward a few steps, inclined his head slightly, and waited for Harry to speak.

Harry looked at him. "Hi, have you had dinner? I didn't see you in Hall."

"Good evening Harry. Thank you. I had a cheese sandwich earlier so I did not feel hungry enough to eat a meal."

"Hermione keeps telling me you're too thin." Harry looked Severus over carefully, but his robes covered everything apart from his hands, feet and head, so it was difficult to see if he was thin or not; his face did look rather gaunt though: it was all carved cheekbones, Roman nose, hollow cheeks and penetrating black eyes.

"You do look a bit thin I suppose. Please try and eat more; it's bad enough as it is, without making her think I'm not letting you eat enough. Why don't you get the elves to bring you something? The fish and chips were pretty good, if they've still got any left."

"I would prefer another sandwich if you will permit that. The fish and chips may be cold by now and they do not always reheat successfully."

"I've got to agree with you there, gone-cold chips are gross. Have whatever you like prof, but please try and remember to eat more."

Severus was about to comply with the suggestion to order more food—any suggestion from Harry had to be regarded as an order—but before he could call an elf, Harry continued, "How did the visit to the Weasleys go? Is Sara settling in okay and what did you have to tell Mr and Mrs Weasley? Is Sara still very upset? I should think she would be?"

"Sara seems to be reasonably happy Master, and they seem fond of her. I have taken the liberty of placing a copy of the memory in one of your pensives, if you would like to see it, or I can report verbally if that is your preference."

"Oh, just tell me; just your main impressions and things will do for now. I'll talk about it more with you later, or look in the pensive or something. How is she coping with being away from her mum?"

"They have been extremely kind to her and she appreciates it…and on the surface at least, she is coping remarkably well. I did not probe her mind, as, forgive me please, I forgot to ask you if you wished me to do that, so all I could judge by were her words and body language... She seems a sensible child, far more sensible than are most children her age, and remarkably well aware of her situation; I think her mother must have done her best to prepare Sara for the realities of life as a slave and perhaps told her much of her own history.

"Oh that's good that she seems happy; I was worried she'd still be crying all the time because of losing her mother." Harry knew how it felt to not have a mother.

"At least I can't remember ever having one; it must be a lot worse to have one and then lose her, and even worse for Sara too because her mum is still around if you know what I mean; she's still there but Sara can't be with her because of the rotten slavery...I've been thinking though; the headmaster says her bond's like yours, like all the slave bonds he said, and she can't ever be freed, so isn't there some way we could get her mother too, so they could be together? How much would that cost do you think?"

"The idea does you credit Master. However I fear that the sum of money needed to persuade her owner to sell her might be prohibitive—if indeed he could be persuaded to sell her at any price. He is unlikely to want to sell her when keeping her and selling her offspring will be a continuing source of revenue for him."

Harry stared, unseeing, at Severus. For some strange reason, although the horrible fact that slaves might be deliberately bred for sale had occurred to him before, he had not connected that with Sara and her mother.

"That bloody man! He's going to do just that!...Excuse me; I have to go!" and he ran out of the room, leaving a slightly bemused Potions Master in his wake.

Severus had intended to tell his master the details of his visit to the Weasleys, and after explaining Sara's bond to him, to ask him how much Sara was to be told about it. That would now all have to wait until his master returned.

Harry was becoming more and more agitated the more he thought about Sara's mother, but then he calmed himself by the thought: _Hermione will be able to think of something_.

 _What was the point of rescuing Sara if that man is just going to make her mother have more children, and well, yes, it saves her at least, but it doesn't change anything for any others... we have to do something! Rotten bloody people! But Hermione will think of something._

 _Where the heck had she got to?_ Hermione was not in the common room nor in the room they often used for studying, but after Seamus remarked, "I guess you've already checked the library?" Harry mentally kicked himself and hurried off to it.

Hermione was seated at her favourite table, the largest one, which had room for all the many books she consulted at any one time.

For once she was not concentrated on a book or writing so Harry did not have to interrupt her. She caught sight of him as he entered the room and immediately smiled and waved him over.

"Ah, Hermione..."

"That's me. What's got you so hot and bothered?"

"Er, nothing really; I've just spent ages looking for you and didn't even think of the library. I must be going mental."

"You're here now though, so you must have regained some of the few brain cells you once had," Hermione laughed.

"Not before Seamus asked if I'd tried here."

"...Okay… I guess that proves you must be right then: You've mislaid a few too many marbles. It must be your advanced age."

Harry grinned. Hermione was in an unusually happy mood apparently. She usually left the kidding around to him and Ron.

"Where's Ron?" he wondered aloud.

"I don't know; probably playing chess or talking about Quidditch with someone I expect. Do you want him? What were you looking for me for anyway?"

"No, I don't need him; actually it might be best if we kept this between ourselves, well, us and Sev I mean..."

Hermione interrupted him. "That reminds me—I keep meaning to tell you but keep forgetting—you usually call him professor or Professor Snape in front of other people, which is good because it makes sure people know how much you respect him, and people that don't already know he's a slave can't realise that he is one, but when it's just us, you, me and the professor I mean, you often call him Sev, and I don't think you notice it, but almost every time you do that, he winces; the tiniest little wince, so small that at first I did not realise what it was. I think he hates the shortening of his name, but of course he won't tell you that."

"Oh... Really?... Blast! I wish he didn't walk on eggshells around me like he still does all the time. It's as if he expects me to suddenly turn into Godzilla if he says just one wrong word. He could easily have asked me not to shorten it! Actually I thought he'd started to relax around me a bit but if he still can't ask even that, then obviously not."

"I don't think he can Harry, either because it's not in him to treat you any other way, or perhaps that's something he's learned with other masters, or maybe the slavery bond forces him to behave that way."

Harry thought about that... "He did tell me once that he can't allow himself or me to forget what he is, not even for a moment, because if we forget it could mean a lot of trouble for him... I'm not sure why it would cause him trouble or what sort of trouble he meant, but I suppose he must know...I must remember to ask him ...

"I didn't tell you this before, but when I first came to Hogwarts and found out about Severus, the headmaster gave me a book about slavery bonds and the Wizarding world's laws about slaves... The whole thing was awful, just disgusting, really really bad, just barbaric. Even apart from the bonds themselves the laws are unbelievably rotten and unfair."

"Why didn't you give it to me to read?" Hermione demanded indignantly.

Harry was amused that she was almost aghast that he, or anyone, could have to audacity to read a book and not offer it to her.

"I was afraid of how you'd react ... but if I can find it I'll lend it to you now ... now that you seem to have relaxed about it all a bit, about him being a slave I mean. But we've got off the topic of why I was looking for you; it's about Alice, Sara's mother, and the horrible man she belongs to... Sev... er, Severus, has just told me that he probably makes money by selling her babies."

Before Hermione could react he hurried on; "It's fine for Sara as she is mine now... well, no, not _fine_ of course, no-where near _fine_ , but at least Severus and I will look after her properly, but what's the point of just rescuing one person, one slave, when all he does is create more?"

"The poor woman!"

"Yes, exactly! and that's why we have to rescue her; get her away from him somehow. That's how I found out about it; I asked Sev...erus if we could buy Sara's mother so that they could be together but he said that her owner would probably not sell her however much I offered for her, as her offspring were a continuing source of income for him."

Hermione thought for a moment. "So it's true then; I already thought he was probably doing that. I've already thought about it quite a bit actually and what could be done about it and if you could be persuaded to… well it might be expensive whatever we do, and you…"

Harry shook his head. "I don't mind if it's expensive. It doesn't matter; I've got more than I'll ever know what to do with." Harry waved away her concern.

"Oh good, but it may also mean that we have to get her some other way... preferably a legal way of course, but, you know, possibly it might have to be, er, not exactly legal."

"You've already thought about rescuing her mum? Trust you to be one or more steps ahead of me…but not legal? That doesn't sound like you!"

"Well, the ideas I've been able to come up with have not all been exactly legal or perhaps even ethically defensible... Ron could help at thinking up a strategy you know..."

"Yes... maybe...probably... but he gets very upset whenever anything draws his attention to how much money I've got. The stupid thing is that I offered to give him and his family quite a bit of it and he got offended. He gets awfully envious, but the idiot won't let me give him anything!"

"No, he's too proud I suppose...you're probably right; best not to tell him about this unless we have to. We should talk about it with the professor though; he wasn't sorted into Slytherin for nothing I imagine."

Harry was both surprised and impressed at how quickly Hermione had agreed to his idea, no, more than that, she had considered the problem before he had even thought about it himself.

"What's that funny look on your face for Harry?"

"Funny look? Oh, nothing...I just didn't think you'd agree so quickly. I thought it'd take me ages to convince you, well, actually I thought you wouldn't agree at all, but you have already thought about it and have even suggested we might have to do it in a sneaky or illegal way. I'm just gobsmacked that's all."

Hermione smiled. "My vastly superior brain worked out in a flash that it was necessary to rescue her, and it was immediately obvious to me that strictly above-board methods might not be enough," she joked. "Well, no, not really, as I said, I've been thinking much the same thing for a couple of weeks now. I just wasn't sure how to suggest it to you."

"Oh good, I won't have to kneel in gratitude at your feet and worship you after all then," he grinned ... "but getting back on track; we should go and see Severus now 'cos I ran out on him in a big rush so he'll be wondering what that was all about. Do you need help putting the books back?"

Hermione waved her wand, muttered something, and all the books shut themselves and flew back to their places on the shelves.

"That's a good one! You'll have to teach me that."

"Yes, and you will have to come to the library more often to use it," Hermione lectured. Harry grinned at her.

It took them about five minutes to walk down to the Potion Master's suite. Harry knocked politely, murmured the password and when the door opened, walked in and Hermione followed him.

"I'm back Severus," he said unnecessarily, particularly as Severus had already stood up to greet him, "and I've brought Hermione. She's been thinking about our problem and has even had a few ideas already."

"Our problem Master?"

"Yes, you know, what we were talking about before: Sara's mother and how to get her away from that man."

Severus inclined his head respectfully to his master, and then turned to Hermione, saying in a more brisk tone than he had used when speaking to Harry; "What are your thoughts on the subject Miss Granger?"

"Basically sir, as you told Harry, it probably won't do any good to just offer money for her, so we might have to be more sneaky about it. I've thought of a couple of ideas, but they're not very good as they depend on him being not too bright; they depend on his being dumb enough that he could fall for them..."

She fell silent. Now she had to present her schemes to the professor they seemed much more feeble than they had just a few minutes ago.

"Well, may we hear them? Sometime in the not too distant future perhaps."

Severus caught a surprised and slightly disapproving glance from his master, which made him shiver and be thankful that Harry did not attend regular potions lessons; if that mild remark merited Harry's disapproval, Merlin knows what his reaction would be to the tone and sarcasm he used in class. Harry had twice now stated that he would not interfere in Severus's teaching, but it would not do to test his tolerance unduly. However, he quickly put those thoughts—and thoughts of what he would have to say to his master about it later—aside for the moment, as Hermione, his master's best friend, and, as he reminded himself, possibly even his future mistress, was starting to explain her ideas.

Well sir, do you mind if I quickly run through them all as they occurred to me, leaving aside for the moment if they have any practicality or are really silly...?"

"That seems an excellent idea Miss Granger. Please proceed."

Receiving a compliment from Professor Snape distracted Hermione for a few seconds... not a backhanded compliment or grudging faint praise either, it actually contained the word 'excellent'. Then she understood; Harry was standing right here and the professor had spoken impatiently to her just moments before. He was worried that he had angered Harry by speaking impatiently to his friend and was trying to placate him. Oh, the poor poor man...

"Hermione—the ideas," Harry prompted.

"Oh, sorry, yes, well...uh, here goes; I've already made some enquiries about That Man. It turns out our main advantage might be that Mr Monty Montgomery is in fact not very bright, not very bright at all, a bit of a moron in fact, and not only that, he's also both a dipsomaniac and a gambler...yes and very superstitious too it seems and..."

"A dipsomaniac?"

"A drunkard Harry. Anyway, that was probably the main reason he decided to sell Sara rather than keep her after the original sale fell through, despite the fact that in a few years she would be at an age where she could become pregnant. He needed money in a hurry to pay gambling debts."

"How on Earth did you find all that out?"

"My secret spy network... No, seriously, it was easy; I just asked Luna if they had a file on him at the Quibbler, and to my surprise, they did; it was on his whole family and its history actually, so it was a surprisingly thick file... It certainly makes you wonder just how much information is known about us all if a small paper like the Quibbler knows so much about even an unimportant man like Montgomery...anyway, although it was mostly about his forebears it did document a lot of things about him personally, such as: he's a bachelor, he gambles, that he has mortgaged his house to the hilt, that he drinks when he gambles and that he almost always loses, and even that he is so superstitious he consults a fortune teller who advises him what he should bet on... Apparently he's so incredibly stupid that he keeps going back to her despite almost always losing when he follows her advice."

"That is useful intelligence Miss Granger. I am impressed." This time Professor Snape sounded more sincere.

"What does he bet on? Horse races?" Harry asked.

"No, well sometimes, but more often he plays poker or just on whatever bets are proposed to him at his local pub. It's a muggle pub if you can believe that; perhaps he thinks that by betting in a muggle pub his reputation among wizards will not be put at risk... What he doesn't seem to realise is that some of the other patrons are wizards too. Some of them, a couple of them in particular, wait 'til he's drunk and then make bets with him about such things as who will win a bar fight. Of course, according to Luna, the bar fight, or whatever it is they're betting on, is staged, so he has no hope of winning; or if not that, then he even bets on such ridiculous things as for example which raindrop reaches the bottom of the window first, or what colour jacket the next person who walks in will be wearing, and of course, it's a friend of theirs who walks in wearing whatever they'd bet he'd be wearing. In other words they regularly cheat and fleece him... leaving him just enough to play again another day. It is a wonder he still has his home, but that's probably only because they see no point in winning a heavily mortgaged house."

"It may be necessary to move quickly, before he loses Alice too."

"Strangely professor, he never mentions her in the local. Well, perhaps he knows that British muggles don't have slaves so he doesn't mention her, or perhaps it's because he retains enough sense to realise what a disastrous financial loss to him it would be if he lost her. Anyway, the other wizards don't know about her apparently, as they seem never to have suggested that she be the stake. At least that's what our intrepid reporter Luna and her file tells me. She helps her father research all the stuff about him and other people; which must have take a fair bit of courage sometimes."

"It's rather a surprise too Miss Granger. I thought she and her father were more concerned with hunting down and reporting on imaginary animals, and not that sort of reporting or information gathering at all."

"Mm, me too, sir."

"It is also a surprise Master, that Montgomery is in such a parlous financial state. It is widely believed that he is wealthy. His family have certainly been so in the past."

"Gambled it all away I guess."

"Indeed Master, a cautionary tale indeed." Severus paused and then turned to Hermione. "You mentioned that you have some ideas as to how we may take advantage of his failings?"

"Hermione felt her face flush. "Well, yes, but not very good ones sir"

"Allow us be the judge of that... "

"The thing is, a couple of them depend on you to carry them out. I can't think of whom else we could use, who else could do it either, except..."

"Hermione! Please stop beating around the bush and tell us what they are."

"Sorry Harry... mm...well, the first idea I had was that first we find out who holds the mortgage on his house and then you buy it up Harry, and then foreclose. Of course we couldn't let him find out that you held the mortgage; we would have to buy it through the goblins or some other agent. At the same time, or preferably a week or so before, you could make an offer for Sara's mother, which he would no doubt refuse—but of course if he did happen to accept it then we wouldn't need to go any further, but I think he would refuse it—and then, to prevent losing his house, he might contact you to see if you were still interested in Alice. The downside of that is that it would be very expensive for you, and there's no guarantee that he'd sell her to save the house."

The next idea is that you make an offer for Sara's mum, that part is the same as in the last idea. Then sir, you could dress up and disguise yourself as a fortune teller or seer, and Harry and I, under glamours as two older people, could become patrons of the pub and start talking about this wonderful new fortune teller, how accurate she is and so on. Then once he's hooked, either just give him her address or take him and introduce him to Madam Delphinia or whatever we decide to call her; that'd be you professor. You tell his fortune, which would include something along the lines that he is dogged by misfortune because of the presence in his house of a 'bound woman' a woman of no importance who has recently been cursed so that she causes anyone close to her to have bad luck, or some other such description really, just anything to make him want to get rid of her and more amenable to the idea of selling her to Harry. However it still has the same drawback as my first idea; there is still no guarantee he would sell her or how much he'd want for her.

The third possibility is that we force him at wand or even gun point to sell or give us Sara's mother, and then Obliviate him of all knowledge of her. Not exactly legal that one though, and the Obliviation needed would be huge, and neither Harry nor I know how to do it yet."

"What's Obliviation?"

"Oh sorry, it's a spell to remove someone's memories. Isn't that right professor?"

"Yes. That is correct."

Harry was thinking about the books he'd read onthe laws pertaining to slaves and was concerned about what they might affect Severus if he did anything illegal . "Sev, I don't want you to do anything you could get in trouble with the law for, so that'd probably rule out the Obliviation, unless you teach me to do it."

"Okay Harry, I don't want to get you into trouble either sir, so, well, another idea is that we all go to the pub ourselves, or rather just outside it—we would be disguised of course— then waylay the other gambling patrons as they approach the pub, stun them, and then you and Professor Snape go inside and get the man very drunk and then you or the professor propose betting Alice against something, a lot of money perhaps, and the bet would be that the next woman who walks in would be, oh I don't know, wearing a fur hat or something, and I would then walk in wearing whatever it was. Again, not exactly ethical, but that man is evil and needs to be stopped. But the main problem with that idea is that he'd probably find out once the bet was completed and Alice transferred to your name, that you were the one who had made the bet Harry, so I suppose that one might not work either.

"It might surprise you that I think so, but carried off with sufficient panache, a couple of those supposedly ridiculous schemes might work reasonably well, provided my master is prepared to spend a great deal of money of course."

Harry had thought of a problem; "With the betting ideas, what's the guarantee that he wouldn't welch on the bet?"

"I wondered about that myself, so I asked Luna about his previous bets and he seems never to have done so, not as yet anyway, even though he thinks they're muggles he was betting against."

"In that case we may be in error in thinking that he doesn't know they are wizards Miss Granger. If he knows that the people he bets against are wizards, he would almost certainly think that he would lose his magic if he broke what was, in effect, an oath. It's a commonly held belief, an erroneous belief, that with such so-called 'debts of honour' the penalty is bound by an unspoken oath. So long as he believes that to be true and knows us to be wizards, welching on the bet would not be a problem. Losing his magic, as he would think would happen should he welch on the bet, would seem even more disastrous to him than losing his slave."

"I've just remembered another idea I had, but it would need Harry to own an elf, and he doesn't, at least I don't think you do, do you?"

"No, not unless Dobby counts himself as being mine - but in any case he'd probably be happy to help out."

"Er, Master, what about one of the house elves at The Kiln, or from one of your other houses?"

"What? There are elves in all those houses? That can't be right can it? Why didn't the goblins mention them when they revealed the properties to me then?"

"I think they were included in the words 'contents and accoutrements,' I should have interpreted it for you Master, for which I must ask your forgiveness." _Had Harry thought that the properties were looking after themselves?_

"It wasn't your fault. I should've asked what was included in 'contents' and not just assumed it was furniture and stuff, and, yes, I know I should've visited at least one of the houses before now, the Kiln at least, like you suggested before, and then I would've found out about the elves anyway. How many do you think there might be?" Harry asked, with a sideways and apprehensive glance at Hermione.

"I am uncertain Master, possibly several dozen."

"Bloody hell! ... and it's no use you looking at me like that Hermione. I won't be freeing them unless they themselves want me to."

"Well Harry, we'll talk about that later!"

Severus thought he should intervene before there could be an argument. "May I suggest Miss Granger, that a campaign to free all house-elves, or indeed, any house-elves, should not be undertaken without having first done some in-depth research, not only into the reasons for their servitude and its conditions, but also their own views of it. That way you would have useful facts at your fingertips to aid you in any campaign. You would do any such campaign a great disservice were you to do otherwise... At the moment however, I believe that you were about to enlighten us as to how a house-elf could aid the current cause?"

Hermione was taken aback that Severus, himself a slave, could think that a campaign to free house-elf slaves could ever not be a good idea. Though thinking about it for a few moments more made her realise that he had really only said that she should do research about it first, which was obviously good advice; research was always a good thing, and researched facts would strengthen her arguments. She could do that...

"Earth to Hermione. Do you read us?"

"Oh, sorry. What? Oh yes, the elf idea... I thought that an elf could smuggle some birth control pills or potions to Sara's mother, and then, if she seemed to be infertile, That Man might be more willing to sell her, or, perhaps the elf could dose her with the Draught of Living Death and we could somehow rescue her from the graveyard.

"Unfortunately I do not believe she'd be able, knowingly, to take either a birth preventative or the draught. Her bond would prevent it as being detrimental to her master's interests. Even were we to somehow dose her with neither her consent nor her knowledge, the bond might be sufficiently aware of the dose effects of the birth control, to make her regurgitate it immediately, or it might even be able to nullify the effects of it. In the case of the Draught of Living Death, once she was given the antidote, the bond with her master would reinstate itself. No, I am afraid those two suggestions would not work. Let us re-examine the other ideas. I am quite attracted to the idea of posing as a fortune teller."

"I think you'd make a great seer or fortune teller Sev, er, Severus. You've got a great air of mystery about you even as yourself, but I'm not sure it wouldn't be too risky for you... Anyway, if we try one of those ideas and it doesn't work, we can always try to think of something else, or use the forced sale and Obliviation idea... but...oh… sorry... I've just realised, it's getting late and I've got some Transfiguration homework to finish for tomorrow, so we'll have to talk more about this again later."

"All right. I'll see you later then. Goodnight Harry, professor...Oh you're coming with me Harry?"

Harry and Hermione were about to leave, but a question from Severus forestalled them. "Master, do you wish me to walk Miss Granger back to her dormitory?"

"No, that's okay. It's not curfew yet. I'll go with her; I should try and spend more time in the common room anyway. I'll see you tomorrow sometime. Come on Hermione."

Harry shouldered his book bag and he and Hermione walked back towards the Gryffindor common room and dormitories; as they walked Hermione ventured to bring up something else she had been thinking about.

"I know you think the professor isn't much better than he was, but I do think he's more relaxed around you now, compared to how he was at first."

"You think so? I dunno, he still treats me with exaggerated respect..."

"I think that's the respect and deference his bond insists on, but I don't think it is you exactly that he's wary of now, just what the bond will do if he angers you or even says or does something the bond judges to be disrespectful to you."

"Well, if you say so, though I can't see that there's much difference if it's the bond or me, or both of us together, if it still means he talks to me as if I'm a little tin god."

"The difference might not be much in practice, but I think it means that he is starting to know for certain that you yourself are a good person, a good person whose behaviour is also restricted by the slave bond, not like his is of course, but to a small but definite extent."

"I hope you're right, perhaps he is a bit better, or at least I hope so, maybe he's starting to trust me—to trust that I won't start being rotten to him all of a sudden just because I can. I hate being his master, but as I am and seem to be stuck with it—for now at least if not forever—I am trying very hard to be a good one... You haven't found out anything yet about breaking the bond have you?"

"No, but don't give up hope yet; I'm still looking. It does look as if you may be bound together for a good while though, and that has made me think about something else."

"What?"

"Your parents bought him to save him from a cruel master didn't they, and you did the same for Sara, and we are trying to think of how to get Alice away from That Man?"...

"Yes, so?"

"What if something were to happen to you? Have you made a will?"

"Well, no, not yet; I'm young. I'm not going to die just yet."

"Really Harry! You know how foolhardy you are. It was a miracle you didn't die when we went after the Philosopher's Stone, and what about those insanely risky moves you make in Quidditch? You risk your life all the time and now Severus and Sara are dependent on you—and what about all those elves you've just found out about? What might happen to them if something happened to you? Without you having a will they could go to your nearest magical relative and that could even be someone like Draco Malfoy!"

Good point. Who should I leave them to though? You?"

"Well, maybe, but me or the Weasleys or someone you trust not to be a bad master. So long as you make a will...you should ask the professor what he thinks."

...

The next evening, and again after dinner in the Great Hall, Harry caught Severus' eye and motioned with his head for him to follow him and they walked down to the Slytherin Head of House's suite of rooms.

Severus walked in behind him, shut the door and inclining his head slightly, asked "You wish to speak with me Harry?"

"Yes… A couple of things. First; please tell me more about your visit to the Weasleys and Sara. I cut you off about it yesterday, and then we got talking about Alice and I forgot to ask you again. I think you said she's happy at the Burrow?"

"Yes Master, apart from a couple of worries she has, she seems to be so. They treat her very well indeed...however that causes her to worry that you might not approve of their leniency. They are, I believe, very likely to spoil her."

"Well of course I approve of their being lenient with her! That's exactly how I want them to be! It's so much better than them being cruel to her or even just being a bit distant with her. They probably feel sorry for her like I do; having been wrenched away from her mother and taken off to somewhere totally strange to her, and not knowing if they would be kind to her or not! I should think she needs quite a bit of spoiling... Okay, don't look at me like that. I can see you want to say something. I've told you before, you can say whatever you like to me so long as it's what you really think."

"Thank you Master. It is my opinion that if they continue to treat her as one of their family, and the Weasley family is extraordinarily permissive as I think you may be aware, then she will start to think of herself as being virtually free too, and so be very disappointed when reality sets in later in her life. More importantly, her bond will probably cause problems for her, perhaps even now but almost certainly once she is seventeen. At present they correct her for nothing, let alone punish her; and as a result, her bond might make her ill."

"Oh... No... Her bond's a pretty bad one then?"

"Bad? Well yes, I do know of worse bonds, but not many. It is very strong, very traditional and demanding in its standard of behaviour; it's an Absolutus slave bond, and they are both comprehensive and strict. I must confess that after I fire-called you from the Burrow, I took your permission to mean that I could tell Mr and Mrs Weasley of my concerns and to ask them to punish Sara; possibly a punishment such as time out or even merely a scolding, but including corporal punishment if that proved necessary, whenever she did anything of which the bond would disapprove."

"Oh no... do you really think that might be needed?... Well, if it is as bad or worse even than yours I suppose it might be. I did say that you were to say whatever you thought necessary, so that's fine—unexpected and rotten—but fine that you told them, well sort of."

"Thank you Master."

Harry was torn. He already knew from his reading that some of the Absolutus bonds were very nasty.

"I think you'd better tell me more about her bond," he sighed resignedly. "Will it affect her as much as yours affects you?"

"Yes Harry, I think it might even be a little worse. It's probable that its demands will become, from what I believe may be your point of view, even more intolerable, as she matures. For example, she may need to kneel every time you enter the room, or at least give a low curtsey or bow, whereas I need only to stand up and then incline my head... I also suspect that her bond is one of those that also try to influence the master, to make him into a far stricter disciplinarian than he would be without the bond's influence. Most slave bonds do that to a certain degree, but most are less successful than the Absolutus type of bond has often been."

Harry looked absolutely horrified so Severus hastened to add, "The effect, the influence, can be resisted to a great extent, even overcome, by a master who both strongly wishes to resist it and is of at least average magical power, and your power level Harry, is far greater than average. Also, as you now have fore-warning of it, you will be able to recognise any such attempt at influence and resist it."

"Gods! I hope you're right about me being strong enough! Thanks for warning me...but Sara won't be able to resist it though will she? I bet the bond will punish her if she even tries to resist... I wish Hermione was having more success at finding how to free you both!"

"Please do not depend on her discovering any way of freeing us Harry. Many clever, well intentioned and highly motivated people of strong power, including my late mistress, your mother, have sought a method of doing so and not one of them has had any success."

"None of them, not any? When I asked Hermione she said she'd had no success at all so far, but she doesn't wish to give up just yet."

"May I suggest an alternative objective for her research? She might have a little more success if she looks for a way to ameliorate some of our bonds' restrictions. That has been achieved, to a degree at least, with some slave bonds, and apart from the bonds themselves, looking into how the laws might be changed may prove to be of some benefit.

"Oh? Okay, I'll suggest that to her. Anyway, to get back to what you were saying about Sara; if you want to visit Mr and Mrs Weasley again to make sure they fully understand about Sara's bond then you can... Did she like the things I sent her?"

"Indeed she did; she was absolutely delighted. She informed me that she must have the best master in the world. The text books were taken as evidence that you at least wished her to study and led her to ask me if there might even be a remote possibility that you would permit her to attend Hogwarts."

"Well of course she can if she gets an acceptance letter. Why would she think I wouldn't let her?"

"Hogwarts tuition is expensive and far beyond what most masters are willing to pay to educate a slave. I doubt that her mother has more than a basic knowledge of reading, writing, arithmetic and some household spells. Most masters would not be prepared to spend so much on a slave, particularly on a female slave whose prime purpose would usually be as a sex slave or from which to breed. Sara, no doubt judging from her mother's experience, assumed that was to be her purpose, and that even if you did allow her to come here, it would only be for a few years until she was old enough to become pregnant."

"She really thinks that? That I'm as bad as her old master?... I hope you told her that I would _never_ do that to her!"

Severus hesitated... "Forgive me if I was in error Master, but I told her that I could not answer for you, our master, but that I thought it probable that you would have her educated and were unlikely to wish to breed from her for many years, if at all."

"But you must have known I wouldn't be like her old master!"

Severus bent his head, and then seeing Harry was so agitated that he was pacing to and fro, he knelt, but said nothing.

Harry immediately felt even worse, but in a different way; his anger being partly replaced by guilt. He paced around the room while he tried to work out why Severus's reply had made him so furious. Well, actually more hurt than angry; and now, added to the hurt he felt that Severus could possibly think him capable of breeding from Sara as if she was a cow or something, was that he now apparently expected Harry to punish him. He walked over until he was beside him.

"Please stand up. I'm sorry. I'm very sorry...I shouldn't have yelled at you. You did nothing wrong really... I suppose... no, actually I _know_ you didn't. I know you couldn't tell her about what I would do without asking me first, and at least you did say that you thought I wouldn't ... Oh... and when you spoke to her I hadn't even told you yet how bad I thought what her old master was doing with Alice was, had I? I'm sorry."

Severus stood up again... "Thank you for sparing me punishment Master."

"I wouldn't punish you for that, for what you said and hurting my feelings I mean, and you defended me as much as you could...I didn't realise that at first; anyway, I now definitely do want you to tell Sara that I won't want her to have any babies at all if they were going to be slaves, let alone a lot of babies…though...that's not very good either as I suppose even my telling her that, is me ordering her about…but I can't stand the thought of her having children who would be enslaved…gods! I hope Hermione can find some way of changing all that… but at least you can tell her when you see her again that I don't like the idea of her having children and why... Oh, and when you talk to the Weasleys please make sure that whatever punishments they're giving her really are the absolute minimum her bond requires."

"Thank you Master."

Harry walked over to his favourite armchair again and sank down into it. It had been Severus' favourite seat until Harry had come to Hogwarts, but of course Severus never mentioned that, and in case his master should come in unexpectedly he now always sat in the other armchair even when Harry was not present.

"Sit down Sev..er..Severus... I'm trying hard to remember to call you that now because Hermione told me she'd noticed that you didn't like 'Sev'... You could have mentioned that you didn't like it you know; I can't always know what you want if you don't tell me."

"Thank you Master. It is not my place to complain to you, especially not about anything so trivial. It is your right to call me whatever you like. But I am grateful, very grateful, for your consideration."

"Well, in that case, what I'd like to call you will be 'Severus' from now on. You'll have to forgive me if I forget occasionally though."

Harry then sat back for a moment before saying, "I'm still feeling a bit hungry. Let's get something sent up from the kitchens... What about hot dogs? Do you like hot dogs?"

"Master, I have not tried it myself, and I am sorry but I am not certain that the elves will be able to supply dog meat. It is not generally eaten in the Wizarding world, and I hadn't realised that it was commonly eaten by muggles, not in the western world at least...oh, I see you are laughing; the dog meat was a joke?"

"No, I was laughing because hot dogs are not made from dogs... at least I jolly well hope they aren't. They're just a red pork sausage in a bread roll... Though I suppose eating pigs is just as bad as eating dogs, they're just as intelligent and friendly as dogs after all, it's just we're more used to eating pigs... You're probably right about the house-elves not having them though; if you don't know what hot dogs are then they probably won't either...so what else do you suggest? It had better be something fattening so Hermione gets off my back about you needing to put on weight. Well, me too, she thinks I'm too skinny as well."

Severus did not feel at all hungry and he still had several hours work correcting essays to do before he could go to bed. However, a suggestion from Harry was always to be regarded as an order. "May I suggest a baked potato with sour cream and cheese Master?"

Harry nodded. "That sounds good."

"Twister!" Harry called the elf who usually looked after Severus, and by extension, him too.

A couple of seconds later Twister, a female house-elf with startlingly pale blue eyes and scant, blond, rigidly-set curls on her head, was bowing in front of them. "What can Twister do for masters?"

"Would you get us some baked jacket potatoes with lashings of butter, sour cream and cheese please Twister? One medium sized one for me and a very large one, or two medium to large sized ones for Professor Snape please."

"Twister can, and Twister will gets two for Master Harry Potter too. Both youse will eats it all." She vanished with a pop.

"Well, I guess we both've been given our orders. What will she do to us if we disobey do you think? Not that I'd ever dare," Harry joked.

"The last time I disobeyed her my robes all mysteriously turned bright yellow overnight, every night for a month, and it took me a considerable amount of time each morning to turn them back to black. I did not think it a coincidence as other mysterious happenings have followed each time I have displeased her. I think I'd rather disobey you than her; her punishments are far more severe."

"Thanks for the warning Sev... Ah, back already Twister! That was quick! Amazingly quick. They look great...er...in all senses of the word... how on Earth did you manage to find such huge spuds?... If I can't get it all down would it be okay for me to take one back to the dorm with me and eat it later?" Harry asked meekly, and then added, "and the professor too, can he eat one later? I think we might both be sick if we try and eat them both all at once."

Twister held her head to one side and looked at Harry, apparently considering if he could be trusted. She nodded and then shook her forefinger at him. "All gone by morning! Twister knows if naughty masters hides good food!" Then she popped out.

"Do you think she'd know if we just banish half of it?" Harry asked, looking askance at his overflowing plate. Not only were the potatoes huge but there seemed to be almost half a pound of cheese on each one.

"House elves are very powerful magical creatures, far more powerful than the average wizard or witch, so I would not be surprised Master." Severus looked across at Harry who looked as if he could not quite make up his mind between grimacing and grinning.

Then Harry bust out laughing. "Oh dear! We're done for, definitely done for; it's yellow robes for both of us in the morning. Not a flattering colour for either of us."

"Perhaps Pomona might allow us to hide in the Hufflepuff sett with the other Badgers until Twister forgives us."

Harry thought for a moment. Actually, apart from it being rather amusing, this could be a nuisance, especially for Severus in his role as head of Slytherin House, and it was his fault, not Severus's fault, that they were faced with a small mountain of food and had been ordered to eat it.

"There's no guarantee she won't punish us some other way; a way that could be even more annoying than colourful robes... I've got an idea; I'm _ordering_ you to give me one of those potatoes... That's right... Thanks... and you won't be getting it back I'm afraid. I'm going to give it and one of mine to the Giant Squid; she's always hungry."

"Master, although that's not hiding it, it is not eating it either..."

"True, but any punishment will come on me, not you...but just to be sure... Twister!"

As Twister appeared he continued, "Twister, I am _not_ going to eat my second potato, not even later tonight, because so much at once will make me feel sick. I'm going to give it and one of the two you gave the professor to the Giant Squid. I forced Professor Snape to give it to me, _ordered_ him to give it to me in fact, so for you to punish him for not eating it would be most unfair. You can do what you like to me, but if you do anything to him I shall ask the Headmaster to assign you to some other duty and ask Dobby to look after the professor and me from now on."

"Master Harry Potter look after his professor very good! Twister like! Twister not ask mystery colour come back. What Twister can dos for masters now?"

"That's all for now thanks," Harry said, the wind taken out of his sails, and the house-elf disappeared again. "Well! That was easy! Who knew?"

"A triumph indeed, Master," Severus congratulated, actually grinning. (Grinning? A grin on Severus' face looked so odd, so _wrong,_ that it made Harry feel almost as if the Earth had suddenly shifted on its axis.)

Harry pulled himself together. "I won't go into it in detail about it now because I know you want to get on with marking those essays, and I got side-tracked yet again when I should have started to talk about it, but there's something else I want you to think about; Hermione mentioned something I should've thought of myself before now, and that's what would happen to you, Sara and the Potter house-elves, if I kicked the bucket? Okay, I'll have to make a will, but we have to decide who would be best to leave you to...or I wondered if there might even be some way we could work it so that if I die, you don't have to belong to anyone any more. Don't worry about it tonight as you've got all that marking to do, but next chance you get. Okay?"

Severus bowed his head. He appreciated the character of this master. Not one of his previous owners, not even Mrs Lily Potter, had given a great deal of thought to his future should they die. "Master, I feel a great reluctance to think of the possibility of your dying, but I am overwhelmed at your thoughtfulness. I shall do as you request and present my thoughts to you on the morrow."

"Mm, well, no need to thank anyone, but if you want to, then thank Hermione, not me. I probably would've got around to it eventually, at least I hope I would have, but she pointed out that there have been several times already where I might have shuffled off the old mortal coil if my luck or you hadn't saved me, so I might not get so lucky next time and so I should make a will as soon as poss."

"Master, I sincerely thank you both."

"Yes, but well, as I said, no need to thank anybody; we haven't thought of a solution yet. I mean, I could leave everything to Hermione as I think she'd treat you right, but who's to say she'll live much longer than I will? That's why I started to wonder if there might be some way of freeing you in my will. Anyway, please think about it. I'm going back now to all the racket of Gryffindor tower, eat my potato and then bed. See you tomorrow. We have a lesson in the afternoon anyway. Bye."

"Goodnight Master."

Later, Harry realised that Sev... Severus, he reminded himself, Severus, had probably still not told him the full story about Sara. That had been interrupted when Harry had raced off to ask Hermione what could be done about Alice, and then again later by him asking for the food. Ah well, he'd ask about it tomorrow.

At breakfast the next morning he set up a confidentuallity spell around himself, Hermione and Ron and then told them what the professor had said about what might be a more profitable area of research on slave bonds.

He then added, "You know what you were saying about how I must make a will Herms? Well, I've been thinking; might there be some way that I could leave Severus and Sara not to a person but to The Potters' Kiln and then make the house unplottable or use the Fidelius or something… or are they the same thing? Anyway, we could then make Severus the Secret-Keeper of it couldn't we?"

Then turning away from Ron, he mouthed to her, 'and hide all the elves too.'

The three of them were silent for a few seconds and then Ron gave his opinion. "I'm not sure that'd be legal to leave them to a house,, and anyway, they'd still basically be the property of whoever inherited the house... I think you can leave things to animals though, and animals are property like slaves are, so you might be able to leave Sara to Severus and him to her, and then put in the will that he and she are both to live at the Kiln, which you had already left to him or Sara and hidden with one of them as the Secret-Keeper. You might be able to add that if anyone tries to challenge the will then everything, including all your other assets, are to go to some sort of trust or benevolent foundation... which you've already set up with Severus and Sara as the heads of it, but if the will is unchallenged then your other assets would go to, well, to whomever you want to leave them to."

"Or I might be able to set up a foundation and leave the professor and Sara to it as a lifetime chairman and a lifetime member of the board... I'll ask the professor what he thinks."

"You should go to a lawyer because we don't know what's legal and what isn't. The Potters probably already have a family lawyer anyway."

"Yes, I think we do. I'll talk to the professor; he will know. Thanks Ron."

Harry knew that Severus had potions classes all morning, so it was not until after lunch that he signalled to him that they needed to talk. Severus caught up with him as he exited the Great Hall and they, in mutual consent, walked into a nearby empty classroom.

"Yes Master?"

"Do you have a free period now?"

"Yes, of course Master."

Harry grimaced. "No, I mean do you _really_ have a free period? Not just one you create for me?"

"Yes Master. I really do have a completely free period."

"Okay then. I have one too, so can we go down to the dungeons to talk?" Harry did not wait for an answer and turned to walk down to their rooms, followed by his slave.

Once inside, Harry flopped down into his favourite armchair. "Ah, good, that's better; I want to tell you what Hermione and I, and Ron too, have been thinking," and he told Severus what the three of them had been discussing at breakfast. Then he added, "and I asked you last night too; have you had any ideas, and what do you think of our ideas?"

"I had not imagined you would be so generous as to, in effect, leave me, and Sara and your elves too, one of your properties, let alone The Kiln, the main Potter family seat...but Master, forgive me please, but I do not think it a good idea to do that as The Kiln should go to your descendants, as should your other homes."

"Well, there may well not be any descendants at all... especially if I die as soon as Hermione expects me to, and as Voldie seems to want me to as well, and anyway, you and Sara are my real family now... If you're concerned then we could make it one of the other houses, a couple of them are just as big and might be just as self-sufficient as the goblins say the Potters' Kiln is. . . Anyway, any child of mine who gets a few properties and resents you getting just one or two of them, doesn't deserve anything at all in my opinion!" Harry was full of righteous indignation at the very thought of any hypothetical future child of his being so mean.

"So, given that I want you Sara and the elves to have a house or three, what do you think of our ideas?"

Severus was once more astonished at how unusual a master Harry was proving to be. He felt genuine gratitude for Harry's kindness in even considering leaving a house to him, Sara and the elves, even though it would be foolish to allow himself to hope that it could actually be a real possibility.

He knew that the fulsome thanks he felt like giving Harry would only embarrass him; he blinked his eyes and then said, "You cannot know how much your thoughtfulness and generosity means to me Master... I did not think to say this to you before, but please know that I shall always do everything in my power to protect you and keep you alive. I vow that anyone or anything who tries to kill or hurt you, will only do so over my dead body...

At that, they both sat there in mutual embarrassment and awkward silence for a few moments before Severus cleared his throat, "As to your question; I think your ideas have great merit... but you might be complicating things unnecessarily; it might be that all you need to do is use the goblin who is now in charge of Craigcleaver's old crew to cast the Fidelius on one of your properties as Craigcleaver did for all of them for your father, but this time allow Sara and me to be privy to the secret and order us to go there immediately upon your death. It would hide us as successfully as it hid your properties. That way no-one would know of its existence."

Harry looked conflicted. "After what he did you'd still use the goblins? Actually that idea did occur to me too, but I dislike Craigcleaver so much that I don't want to use him, and what would stop him tricking us as he did my parents?"

"Craigcleaver is no longer in charge of that team Master; there is a remote possibility that he might have been sent to their underground prison but it is far more likely that he has been beheaded. Goblin justice is both severe and swift. Their new team leader is Ironhand, and he is the goblin who reported his suspicions of Craigcleaver's betrayal to your account manager."

"Oh...well, he'd be okay I suppose...but somehow I don't like...are there no other options?"

"Yes Master. You could allow me or the headmaster to put one of your houses under the Fidelius—and make Sara and me the Secret-Keepers, and then order both us and your elves to go there immediately upon your demise, and to stay there in perpetuity. You could order us that none of us are ever to answer to any of your heirs or any other masters or mistresses. As our current owner your order should take precedence over any order from any other aspiring and later master. Naturally, once you have children you will probably wish to change that arrangement."

"No, I'm pretty sure that I won't want to change anything. Anyway that sounds good, and pretty easy too. We could do that and then investigate if there are any better ways of achieving what we want and could then switch to them, or use them as back-ups."

"There may be a problem with a Fidelius in that I believe it falls if the caster of it dies, so perhaps the caster should be someone who is likely to live longer than either I or Sara, and is also strong enough magically to cast the Fidelius, and that means someone other than the headmaster or myself, as although we are powerful enough, we are older than she is and likely to die earlier. We should also, as Mr Weasley advised, consult your lawyer."

"Do goblins live longer than wizards. Not much? Well then, that's another reason not to do it through Gringotts ... but what about house-elves, they live very long lives, longer than wizards someone told me. Could a house-elf cast it?"

Severus stared at Harry. Using house-elves was not something he'd considered... "That might work Master. They are certainly very powerful magical creatures and they do indeed live a lot longer than we do... And a Potter elf would certainly not attempt any fraud against you or your heirs. When you visit your estates you will be introduced to all your elves, or you could call the comptroller elf at The Kiln to you here and ask him if that is something an elf can do."

"Or Dobby, or even Twister."

"With respect Master, not Twister, as she is bonded to Hogwarts, and although I'm sure Dobby would be delighted to do it for you if he could, he is a free elf; I think one that you own would be better."

"Oh. Okay. Let's do it then, or at least find out if a house-elf can do it... How do I get one to come here?"

"Just call 'Head Potter elf. Come here,' or words to that effect, Master."

"Right. Head of Potter elves, come here please," Harry shouted.

An ancient grey-haired elf, clad in a black, gold-embroidered uniform, materialised into the room with no popping sound at all. He gave a cursory bow and then raised himself erect and glared at Harry.

"Why I declare, if it isn't Master Harry James Potter. And about time too Master! About thirteen years late! Pemberley lives to serve. We all live to serve, and do pray tell, how on Earth are we supposed to serve you if you never bloody call us and you never come home?"

Severus somehow managed to be simultaneously amused and outraged. It seemed his master's head elf was even less servile than was Twister. He started to say "How dare you speak to our..." ... but was interrupted by Harry holding up his hand to stop him, so he fell silent.

Pemberley turned from Harry to face Severus. "And you! You can take that glare off your ugly face. Taken you long enough to tell our master about us hasn't it? Hoping to be master's little pet before I could tell him what a nasty little pouf you are? What a dirty old shirt-lifter?" He turned back to Harry, "you should give him a few good hidings, that'd teach him his place, but I don't suppose you've got the balls!"

Harry had been amused until the elf had turned on Severus, and then he became angry, and unconsciously let a little of his magic flare.

"That's quite enough! I will not be spoken to like that by anyone, let alone by my own house-elf! And if you ever speak to the professor like that again it'll be you I'll be giving a good hiding to, just before I give you clothes! Understand elf? And I'd better not hear you spouting any more of your pathetically ignorant homophobic views either. Whether Severus likes men or women has nothing to do with you; that's his business not yours. You will not air any such opinions again! ... As for not telling me about you elves, he didn't know of the existence of my houses any more than I did until we were both informed at Gringotts, because until then they were under a Fidelius. It wasn't until they discovered what the secret-keeper was doing that it all came to light. After that Severus thought I knew about all you elves so he had no need to tell me...but why I'm explaining all this to you I don't know...just never speak to Severus again like that, understand?"

Pemberley lost his sneer. "Now that's more like it! That's what we like to see! You've got a bit of Old Master Charlus in you after all! Master Charlus knew how to treat elves and slaves. What a hand he had with a riding crop! ... Ah... the good old days... Still, you show a lot of promise, and power, oh yes, you've got more power than I've seen in generations, and that certainly makes up for your being so scrawny. Yes, you might do very well, very well indeed... so now...let's see...here we go... Pemberley is pleased to meets his Master at last, yes he is! All Master Sir's house-elvses be wanting to meets Master, yes they is! We bes so happy!" and he bowed low until his nose touched the ground before raising himself again.

Despite being called scrawny, which was rather a sore point with him, Harry's anger had drained away, replaced by amusement.

"Why are you speaking like that all of a sudden? You were speaking normal English until a moment ago."

"Pemberley be proper house-elf again now he gots proper master. Bloody moron wizards thinks house-elvses too stupid learn talk good even though elvses live hundreds years same house with wizards, so elvses talk Elf English to pander to masters' prejudices."

"Well, I don't want you to pander to me. I know house-elves are just as intelligent as wizards," _not that that is saying very much,_ "I know you can talk properly, I want you to do that."

Pemberley looked appalled. "Please no, Master Harry Potter sir! Other elvses no respect Pemberley if Pemberley talk wizard-talk to proper master."

"Oh... Okay... Er, but...but…hold on...that's stupid...it doesn't make sense; I don't exactly understand the logic of that… well, not at all really, not even the slightest bit, it's quite back to front... Surely, if elves pander to wizards' illusions of superiority by mangling their English when they speak to us, wouldn't they then speak proper English when they have a master they respect?... but anyway you can talk how you like I suppose."

"Thank you Master! Master like thrash Pemberley for asking to speak elfy?" he asked, looking up hopefully.

Harry took a hasty step back, rolled his eyes at Severus, and then looked back to the elf again and drawled, "It is not convenient for me to waste my valuable time giving thrashings to impertinent house-elves at the moment, so I'm going to make you wait."

Pemberley bowed low, "Oo... thank you Master! Waiting very good punishment! ... What can Pemberley do for good Master?"

"You can tell me this; can house-elves make houses unplottable and put them under the Fidelius?"

Pemberley forgot his act as he thought about it. "Not exactly Master, the Fidelius and being unplottable, and all that, they are wizard magics, however we have elf magic that can do just as well, better in fact; a house, person or thing, even knowledge or an idea, can be hidden by us so that it is completely unknown by anyone except the family's elves and will remain hidden forever.

If you, as our Lord and Master, wish us to hide anything for you, then all you have to do is order us to hide it and then, after it is done, to tell you of it. If you should wish anyone else to know of it you would then have to order us to tell that person, and if for some reason you later wished that person not to know, then you would have to order us to 'un-tell' him and he would then lose all memory of it again. You could even tell us to hide it from yourself and then tell you of it again at some later specified date and time.

"Some of the previous heads of our Potter family have used that when they were about to be interrogated by Aurors or the Wizengamot. It is not generally known about house-elves, not even by most pure-blood heads of house, so it has been rather useful to us Potters. Only you can order us to do it and only you, because you are our Lord, will know about our ability to do it—though you can tell us to make it known to anyone else of course—but apart from that, anyone, for example, even he," he gestured towards Severus, "will forget about our ability within a couple of hours. You can tell him again yourself if necessary, but he will continually forget again. If you were to hide one of your houses but wanted him to know of it, you would have to order one of us to tell him. He would then remember the house but not that we were the ones who had hidden it."

Both Harry and Severus were interested. This might be the answer to one or more of their problems. Harry asked excitedly "So, this is great! Can you hide the fact that Severus is a slave?...oh and while I think of it, tell Severus now that it can be done, 'make it known' to him, so he doesn't forget it can be done."

Pemberley turned to Severus, waved one long-fingered hand at him and informed him, "You now know it can be done and you will remember it," and then addressed his master again.

"I am very sorry Master; after telling you we could do it for virtually everything, I must admit that that is not entirely the case. We could hide him and that would also hide his bondage, but if he himself is not hidden, we cannot separately hide the fact that he is a slave; slave bonds are very strong ancient magic, and ancient magic is one of the few things that we can't hide very well even when it's weak. Probably the most we could do is alter the bond itself slightly; for example, at the moment he has to call you Master in public but it allows him, with your permission, to call you Harry in private. We might be able to reverse that so that he has to call you Master in private but can, with your permission, call you Harry or Mr Potter in public."

"Mm, that might be better, less embarrassing for both of us; Severus and I will think about it. But actually, why I called you was because I'm worried about what might happen to Severus, Sara and you house-elves if I die, or even if I lose my mind or something. I don't want you to be inherited by someone cruel, er... I mean of course, by someone even far more strict and revoltingly cruel than I am myself ... so I was wondering if all of you could be hidden at The Potters' Kiln and some of the other houses should that happen?... If Severus and Sara, and you elves if you like, could be completely forgotten by everyone except the few people you yourselves judge should know, that would make it all a lot easier."

"We could Master. As I said, we cannot hide his servitude while he himself is known by all to exist, but we could hide him and ourselves so no-one, apart from you, remembers we exist, or you and only your specified other people know we exist or ever existed. However, if you want to do it now while you are alive and he is here with you, it might be awkward because he would be invisible to everyone except you and anyone to whom you have revealed his existence, and if you sent him to live at one of your houses his bond spell would start to object that he could be serving you but was wasting time hiding away from you."

"Thank you... Pemberley; you have given Severus and me a lot to think about. And thanks for talking in normal English to me this time. Perhaps when no other elves are around you could speak ... er...no... in future, when other elves are not present, you are to speak to me in proper English, that is an order. You may return to The Kiln now. I will be visiting many of my properties in the holidays so I will meet most, if not all, of you then. Tell everyone that I'm thinking of them...and that I shall be most seriously displeased if my houses and estates are not in excellent condition when I inspect them, and I shall inspect them thoroughly, very thoroughly indeed."

"Oo! Lovely! Thank you Master Harry Potter Sir! Pemberley be so happy have proper strict master! ... Before Pemberley go, may Pemberley ask Master something?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"May I take off the miasma now?"

"Miasma?"

"Yes Master, the one over your estates."

"What do you mean? What's a miasma?"

"Oh. Ignorant...er, a miasma is a mist like spell that hovers over an area. In this case it is the mildly anti-fertility one cast over your estates to reduce the number of house-elves born while awaiting your return. Too many elves means idle elves and that is too dreadful to contemplate. However now you are back and want the estates smartened up and kept that way, we will probably need more again."

"Oh. Okay... I suppose you all don't like not having a lot of work to do, do you? No. I know you don't. As for the miasma, just do what you think best."

"Thank you Master."

Pemberley popped away; as when he had arrived, he made no popping sound.

Harry stared at Severus, started to smile and then gave a disbelieving shake of his head. "Why is my life never normal? I can't even have a normal house-elf. Gods! I hope they're not all like him! Surely they can't be? But wouldn't he and Twister make a good pair? They both try to boss me around, and then get a very disturbing gleam in their eyes when I start to play the master...yes we should definitely introduce them; I think Twister might even be happy to give him the beating he's longing for...but...you heard what he said about my grandfather? Now that's something I'd rather not have known...and now I suppose they'll expect me to strut around the place like a Malfoy when we visit!"

"Undoubtedly Master, and brandishing a whip whilst you strut."

"Thank you so much! You're enjoying this aren't you? Go on, admit it; I can see you're laughing at me." Harry grinned at him. "You'd love to see me poncing around like Dudley with his Smeltings stick wouldn't you?"

"I admit that it does have an element of humour Master. But may I say that I was most impressed with how you handled him? Especially with the part where you told him that you did not wish them to be inherited by a master even far more strict and cruel than you are yourself."

"Ha ha. Very funny, I don't think... Really Sev...Severus, did you know my grandfather? Was he really like that? That awful bit about him having such a good hand with a riding crop! ...Oh, of course, you wouldn't have known him; he died before Mum rescued you..."

There was a crash and clatter as if something had fallen onto one of the side tables.

Severus jumped protectively in front of Harry and both wizards immediately spun towards the table, wands pointing.

Then, at first cautiously and then more quickly, Severus moved towards it. "It seems Pemberley or one of your other elves may have left a present for you... No Master, please stay back until I've made certain it is safe."

After a few more moments and some complicated and unexplained wand movements, Severus picked up the object, placed it on his upturned palms, and turning, presented it, with a small bow, to Harry.

"Your grandfather's riding crop I believe Master, and a very handsome one it is too, with a silver, rune-engraved handle."

Harry took the crop gingerly and looked it over. "I suppose it is rather handsome, if you like that sort of thing I suppose."

"And Pemberley certainly does like that sort of thing Master."

"Oh gods! He's going to expect me to give him a hiding at some stage isn't he? To him or even to one or two of the others as well. How do I get out of it? Any suggestions? Seriously, any suggestions?"

"The simple answer might be to order me or one of the house-elves to do it sir."

"You'd do that for me? Gosh, thanks... but no, I won't ask that of you. Anyway, if I don't do it myself he'll go back to thinking I'm too weak to be a 'proper' master, that I haven't got the guts... and what if I do it and Hermione finds out... No, please think of something else...

"If you were to say that it was beneath you to condescend to whipping so lowly a creature as a house-elf, a creature so far below you, then I believe that he would continue to respect you, in fact would admire you even more."

"In other words, the more of a jumped-up ignorant pompous arse I am, the more he will admire me. I'd better take lessons from Malfoy in how to be a completely disgusting arrogant prat."

"That idea certainly has merit. May I arrange the lessons for you Master?"

"Thank you. Not. You needn't enjoy this quite so much!"

"It seems to me that you basically have two options; either use this crop on one or two of them yourself, or be so superior that you have someone whip them for you; in either case you will then become the object of at least one of your house-elves' sexual fantasies."

"Severus! ... No! Urrgh! No... Now how am I supposed to get that thought out of my head?"

"You do not find it titillating My Lord?"

"Severus!"

"Yes, O'Strict and Cruel Master?"

"Stop laughing."

Severus did stop laughing. "Seriously, I imagine that all you really need to do is order him to punish himself. They all seem quite eager to do that.

"In other words, become like Malfoy was with poor Dobby!"

"To a certain extent, yes, however you could specify what the punishment was to be and say that you did not wish there to be any damage to your property, that is, to your elf or elves, to be more than transitory... Actually...no...you probably need not do even that; a punishment they would fear more than anything else would be to give them holidays or even merely threaten to give them holidays on which they would not be permitted to do any work at all.

"Yes that would probably work, I would like that far better...but the holiday idea might terrify them too much. I don't want them to hate me. I'll have to think about it some more, though it's probably the best solution so far. Meanwhile, please don't tell Hermione about it."

"Without your permission Harry I will not, actually can not, tell anyone about anything you have told me."

"Oh? Really?... Then unless I've expressly told you not to tell something or unless you think it is something I wouldn't like to be known, you have my blanket permission to tell people. I totally trust your discretion."

Severus inclined his head. "Thank you Harry."

After a few moments of silence Harry spoke again. "What did you think of the idea to try and reverse the bond's requirement from your having to call me 'master' in public and whatever we like in private, around to 'master' in private and Harry in public?... I think that would be great, well, great when people are around anyway, not to have to keep showing them that you belong to me."

"Yes Master, however Pemberley seems to have forgotten that calling one's master 'master' in public is not merely a requirement of the bond, it is also one of our world's laws. A reversal merely of the bond's requirement would mean I would then have to call you master both in public and in private."

"Oh. Bollocks!"

"Succinctly put Master."

"Alright, let's not give up. That's one of the laws we need to get repealed then... Er... how do we do go about doing that?

"Master, you greatly underestimate your influence as the Boy Who Lived and as the last head of a powerful and influential family, however I suggest that it might be better to postpone any such campaign until you have completed your schooling here, and at the moment that is years away. Even now, although your official school workload is not particularly heavy," (Harry thought _'not heavy'? What?_ ) "there are your far more onerous private defence lessons on which to concentrate, and both your official and your secret training for your prime objective will become a great deal harder each year.

"In other words, I should wait until I've killed Voldemort you mean?"

"Exactly so. It is to your credit of course, but it seems to me that you are worrying about too many projects at once. I am pleased that I was able to persuade the Headmaster to tell you the prophesy as I do not think you would have liked to be uninformed, however it does mean that the burden on you, a young man, is far greater than it ever should be."

"Well you're right about that; I always hate being left in the dark about things, and anyway even if I didn't know I had that hanging over me, it would still be hanging there, and not only that but I wouldn't have even known how important it was to start training as early as possible."

"Indeed, it is important to cover all eventualities, however your other idea might work to defeat him, once I have perfected the required potions."

"Severus, you know very well that was your idea! …your idea and your potions. I cannot take any credit for it at all."

"Indeed you can Harry. As I am your property, it follows that any ideas originating in my head are yours."

"Very funny…you're determined to laugh at me today aren't you? Anyway, how are you getting on with the potions? Any success at all with that yet?"

Anyway, how are you getting on with the potions? Any success at all with that yet?"

"I'm not certain that the potion-based solution to Voldemort is our best idea. Basically if we do that then we need three potions, one for a very short term power boost, one to drain his magic either during that boost or immediately after and a time delayed potion to drain the Death Eaters's magic after a few weeks. One of the problems at the moment is delivery of immunity to the initial power drainage element for whatever Death Eaters test the power booster out for their master while at the same time making certain Voldemort does not also receive that immunity.

What I would prefer to be able to do is combine the power-boosting and power drainage potion and the antidote to the drainage component into a single dose for anyone testing it out, while dosing Voldemort with only the poison or even a combination short term boost and then the lethal, er, drainage element, but how to deliver one sort to the testers and another to him is the problem."

"But didn't you say that if using the combination power and poison dose, you could keep the antidote completely separate and spray it on the sheets or clothes of whoever tests it out for Voldie? That all that's needed is skin contact?"

"Yes, I did say that, however I have now concluded that it might be difficult to achieve—for several reasons; at present the antidote gives whatever it's sprayed on a distinctive aroma, and it's not a pleasant one, also we don't know for certain who will test it for Voldemort, so even if we use house-elves to spray their bedding or clothing, we cannot be certain whose sheets or clothes to spray. I would also need to find something to eliminate or at least mask the smell, and which also does not affect its potency and also which makes the antidote long lasting after a single contact…there is also the problem at the moment that whatever I use to negate the initial power drainage also tends to have the same effect on the long term drainage, although I have several ideas about how to get around that.

"Don't worry; if you are set on the potion idea, it is merely a matter of experimentation and elimination to find the best combination of ingredients and I have several ideas that could work. I am hopeful that it will not be very long before I find something... If we had a spy in his inner circle we might have been able to exchange, at the last minute, a power booster for one which drains their magic without any prior boost in power, but unfortunately we have no such a spy, or at least Albus has not informed us of one and is being close mouthed about it whenever I ask him if we have one... _Unless I were to take polyjuice to become Malfoy, but that would entail the prior disappearance of the real Malfoy_.

"Meanwhile, are you having any trouble hiding how powerful you've become at wandless magic and how practiced at fighting?"

"No, no trouble at all; it's been ridiculously easy as no-one expects me to be able to do any wandless casting at all, and so I do everything with my wand and make sure I get even that wrong most of the time too, or so it looks weak at least, so when everyone knows or thinks I've taken the potion and am suddenly far stronger than before, I think everyone will fall for it… Somehow we have to make sure that Draco and his friends then find out as soon as possible where we've hidden the potion so they can steal it."

"That's good Master, as it means that merely by demonstrating some of your hitherto hidden power we can make them believe you have taken the power booster."

"You don't think I should take even the power element then?"

"No I do not; as you'll be able to show an apparent sudden increase in your power without it, it seems a completely unnecessary risk to take it yourself. Also, may I suggest that when everyone thinks you've taken the power booster that they'll think I've created just for you, that you pretend to be trying to hide your very apparent sudden power boost as well as pretending to be trying to hide what we want everyone to believe has caused it. If it is all a secret then, as the Headmaster is wont to say, everyone will know by bedtime."

"How much do you think it would boost the power of anyone who tests it out for Voldie?"

"Considerably. When I tested it on myself it seemed to increase the magic available to me by over half. It does not work immediately, in fact not until about half an hour after imbibing it, and the effect only lasts up to ten minutes, but long enough to make it worth taking…particularly as we could start the rumour that taking it regularly once a week builds up one's power gradually but permanently.

The main problem would be the pre-preparation of not only all the junior Death Eaters but some of the senior ones as well. We don't want Lucius Malfoy et al trying it on themselves before presenting it to Voldemort without their having already taken the antidote, or, alternatively, without the antidote having been included in the doses they take; if they died or became squibs before the time came for Voldemort to take his dose then he would not take it, obviously. Nor do we want more than one or two Death Eaters at a time to become even a little more powerful."

"What about if we let them get hold of only a tiny amount of it but somehow let them think that in future there would be an opportunity for them to steal the formula? That way they wouldn't want to use all of it before their Dark Lord had a chance to try it..

"Yes Harry, good idea, that would be feasible. We should also inform the Headmaster of our plans, although I doubt that he will be impressed by the method."

"I'll just tell him that the 'power he knows not' is having a potions genius working for me!"

Severus allowed the left corner of his lip to twitch, which served him as a smile.

"Heck! I just had a thought...what's to stop his minions taking it for themselves and not telling their master anything about it?"

Severus smirked."I suggest that a letter, purportedly from one of his young adherents here at Hogwarts, excitedly telling his Lord of the booster, would handle that. I am not totally unskilled at forging handwriting."

Harry grinned. "I won't ask you why you're skilled at that."

"Thank you Harry."

They smiled at each other. Harry yawned and stretched and then tried to pull his thoughts together. "Okay then. Back to what you were saying earlier; If you think I am trying to do too much at once, then what should our priorities be? ... Look, I'll tell you what I think and you can tell me where I'm wrong, okay?"

"Certainly Master."

First should be that I continue the secret combat and spell training in case the 'Perdition Potion Solution' to the Voldemort problem doesn't work as we hope.

Second, and at the same time, I consult the family lawyer about my will and ways to protect you, or perhaps just go with Pemberley's suggestion.

Third, we extract Alice from Montgomery's clutches... Wait, what Pemberley said about the miasma has given me an idea. Could a really strong anti-fertility one that would stop any conceptions at all, be cast on Alice? Then it wouldn't be so urgent to rescue her so soon, and anyway, if she doesn't get pregnant he might be more inclined to sell her to me."

"I do not know if it would work on a human, Master, I believe the miasma to be eleven magic, or at least I have never heard of it before."

"I'm going to have to summon him again to find out aren't I? Oh damn... Where did I put that riding crop? Ah, thank you. I think we should hide it before he comes... Twice is enough, we don't want him coming three times."

Schoolboy humour from Harry? Severus thought it good to be reminded that his master was not always striving so hard to be an adult. It reassured him that Harry's difficult life had not totally killed the child in him. He smiled indulgently.

"Pemberley!"

"Master calls! What can I do for you Master?"

"The anti-fertility miasma you were telling us about; can it be strengthened so that no conceptions at all can take place, and does it work on witches as well as elves?"

"Certainly Master. Yes, it works on witches. That is an excellent idea sir! I can cast that for you over all Hogwarts or any area in which you might wish to sow your wild oats. Congratulations on both reaching manhood so exceptionally early and on being so responsible. We certainly don't want any little Potters with a bar sinister in our family! Do you wish me to cast it over the school now Master?"

"You have misunderst ... Well, forget that for now. No, I will call you when I need you. Thank you, you may go."

Pemberley obediently popped away.

"What a good idea Harry. Let him cast it for you and you can be totally unrestrained and sow your wild oats in any fields you like. I am certainly starting to appreciate the quality of that elf!"

"When we stop laughing I'm going to show you what a cruel master I can be."

Severus did stop chuckling. He said seriously, "Harry, all jokes aside, you may not yet wish to 'sow your wild oats' as Pemberley put it in so quaintly an old-fashioned a manner, but there will soon come a time—you will soon be experiencing the heightened hormonal activity of puberty—when you may wish to have sexual relations with some witch or wizard; there are already far too many of them who would be only too delighted to have your attention. Also, you will have to be careful that you do not inadvertently compromise some witch's reputation and be virtually forced to marry her. A pregnancy with a pure-blood witch would almost certainly do that, or at least make avoiding such a marriage difficult and hideously expensive. Not to mention those witches unscrupulous enough to deliberately try and trap you into marriage by becoming pregnant, and there will be plenty of those..."

If _your godfather was not so conveniently incarcerated, The Talk would have been within his purview, even whatever odd slant Albus gives it will be preferable to that._


	5. Ch 4: Snape visits Dursleys

Interlude:

Severus visits the Dursleys

Harry was sitting on his new four-poster bed in his newly wizard-space expanded bedroom at 4 Privet Drive, and remembering his last conversation with the headmaster and how he had insisted that it was essential for Harry's safety that he remain at the Dursleys during the vacation. His mind then replayed the haunted look on his uncle Vernon's face when he'd collected Harry at Kings Cross and the strangely silent car ride to Privet Drive—and the urine stain on the front of his uncle's trousers after being confronted by a vengeful house elf not more than half an hour ago.

He looked over at the elf-prepared four-course meal waiting for him on his new table and at Dobby who was sitting next to Hedwig's cage and petting her through the open cage door... and he started to laugh.

...

Two weeks before the end of term Severus had broached the subject of where Harry should live during the holidays.

Under Severus's supervision but with minimal interference from him, Harry had successfully brewed some Dreamless Sleep and was feeling pleased with himself. Of course, he had referred to the text book—one of the old ones that Severus had given him which contained all the handy notes Severus had written in the margins when he was a student—but he'd only had to glance at it once or twice merely to confirm what he already knew.

"Well done Harry. It's good enough to go into Mrs Pomphrey's stores. Five points to Gryffindor."

Had one of Harry's fellow students witnessed the professor's compliment to Harry they might have felt indignant: justifiably so as in the normal potions classroom Harry's Dreamless Sleep might have merited an 'acceptable' and five points had it been prepared by one of Snape's Slytherins, but at most an approving nod if from a student from one of the other three houses.

Severus was aware that he taught Harry in a manner far removed from that he used in the potions lessons for all his other students. Even as he complimented Harry, he was deriding himself as an 'obedient little slave' for doing so, but only a slave who was also a great fool would attempt to speak to his master as he spoke to anyone else.

Perhaps the professor was not sufficiently self-aware to realise that if he had treated the other students even half as well as he treated Harry he might have been a better teacher, or at least a better liked one, but, more probably, what they, or anyone apart from Harry and to a lesser extent Albus and Minerva, thought of him was largely a matter of indifference to him.

"Severus, I've been thinking," Harry said, calling Severus's attention from someone's essay that he'd been systematically slaughtering by drowning in a lake of red ink.

"Hermione noticed the other day that my potions book was one of your old ones with all your written notes in them—she noticed the one for this year I mean. I explained that all my potions texts had once been yours and she got quite indignant. At first she said it was cheating but then said that even if it wasn't cheating exactly, it was definitely a very unfair advantage.

Actually I don't think she much likes anyone doing better in a subject than she does herself, even when it's me, and I'm pretty sure she already thinks I've got a huge advantage because you give me one-on-one lessons… So, would it be very difficult to duplicate your notes for all the potions from all your books, then make copies of them and give them out to everyone? If it'd be too difficult or you don't want anyone except me seeing them, please just say so."

"No, it wouldn't be difficult and I certainly don't mind. In any case, whether I mind or not, the notes are as much yours as are the text books...I suggest that I ask Madam Pince to do it for you; she would be the ideal person as she must know several charms to make extracts of text from books that would also work on scribbled margin notes; I could do it for you myself, however she could do it with greater expertise. If you leave the book with me, I already have the books for the other years' curricula, I'll ask her and if she refuses for some reason, then I will do it myself."

"Thank you...and the notes might be legally mine but morally they are yours, so thank you again."

"Thank you... Harry, may I ask a favour of you?"

"Yes of course you can. What is it? ...I don't promise to say yes, but you can certainly ask."

"Actually Harry, it is two favours, two connected favours ..."

"That's fine, don't worry, just ask."

It is impertinent of me to ask, since it is related to a subject you once said to leave alone, however on that occasion I believe you were referring to the situation at that particular time and did not mean the injunction to apply to the future—so may I broach the subject again?"

"Yes, go on—now you've got me interested in what it might be—I can't remember ever telling you not to talk about something—so now I want to know what it was, so now you _have_ to ask," Harry grinned.

"Thank you Harry. That I might broach the subject was the first favour, the second favour is to request your permission to discuss with the headmaster the subject of you staying at the Dursleys' residence and the possibility of it..."

Harry's face had stiffened. _Now_ he did remember asking Severus not to mention it again! That was definitely _not_ something he wanted to talk about. He felt a hot surge of anger. How dare Sev bring it up again!

"You do know that I've already asked the Headmaster not to send me back there don't you? and, as you know, he insisted that I have to spend any holidays with the bloody Dursleys because it's the only place I can be safe from Death Eaters...and before you ask, yes, I did tell him that I _really_ did _not_ want to spend any time there and that I and my dear family do _not_ get on _at all_ , so he knows about that!"

"Master, forgive me, but that was not what I ..."

But Harry had slammed out of the dungeon's door and Severus could hear his footsteps as he ran down the passage. _I'_ _m_ _an idiot. He misunderstood what I was going to say, but it was my own fault; I approached the subject clumsily. I should first have reminded_ _him_ _about his estates and how their existence meant that there was no need for him to return to his relatives, without first mentioning the headmaster and the Dursleys. I underestimated his abhorrence of anyone knowing how bad his relatives are and how distressing he finds the subject or I would have_ _, should have,_ _taken more care in wording the request..._

Meanwhile, Harry had run nearly as far as the door into the Great Hall, but as he approached it, he slowed, came gradually to a halt and then leaned against the stone wall of the passageway. He stayed there for several minutes, calming down and thinking. _Sev must be feeling dreadful_ _;_ _his bond must be ..._ _and_ _why am I so upset? I didn't promise to do any more than listen to his request._ _.._ _Oh blast._

He turned around and started to walk, slowly at first and then at a faster pace, back down to the dungeons. Once there he muttered "Open please Callista," in parseltongue to the painting of the krait on the door; the door opened at once and he walked in and immediately started to apologise.

"I'm sorry about that... I don't know why I got so very angry so suddenly. It wasn't your fault at all so don't let that bloody bond of ours tell you it was."... _though actually I_ had _told you not to ask about telling Dumbledore about how they treat me, and I really_ don't _want to talk about it ever again, but it's better if the bond doesn't know that ..._ "You can finish what you were going to say about the Dursleys' treatment of me now."

"Thank you Master. I must apologise for approaching the subject in the way I did since it led you to believe I was about to ask you for permission to tell the headmaster of your relatives' treatment of you, and so it upset you unnecessarily..."

"You weren't going to? ... Oh. Blast; I really _should_ have listened and not cut off what you were going to say. Sorry... I really am sorry... I thought you were, and you know that I can't tell the headmaster all the details, I just can't, you're the only person I've ever told much about it...but if that wasn't it, what was it then?"

"Thank you Master. You and I have now learned of the existence of your estates, but you may not have realised that the headmaster doesn't know about them yet, because we haven't told him, nor does he know of the fiasco of the Fidelius with the goblin secret keeper… Perhaps we should now reveal it to him and that should show him that there's no longer any need for you to spend your holidays with the Dursleys since you can be totally hidden at the Kiln, either by another Fidelius with a goblin secret keeper—I certainly don't think we have to worry that his hiding it from you also will ever happen again since he's been found out and summarily dealt with by his superiors—and I imagine the current holder of the position will be well aware of that—or, better, it could be hidden by the Elven version of Fidelius with one of your elves as the secret keeper, as Pemberley explained... I think that if he had all the relevant information the headmaster would no longer insist on your going back to Privet Drive." _And if he knew at least some details of what you_ _'ve_ _had_ _to put up with_ _,_ _it would be even easier to persuade him, but I_ _'m well aware_ _that's not going to happen in the foreseeable future.._

 _..._ Harry was uncertain; he knew that telling the headmaster about his properties might work to stop him insisting he return to Privet Drive for the holidays, but for some reason he didn't like the idea.

"I'm not sure why, I'm really not, but I'm reluctant to tell the headmaster anything about the Kiln or about my other houses, not for a while at least... Couldn't I just go there for a day or two, to the Dursleys I mean, and then you side-along me to the Kiln, and not tell Dumbledore anything?... Okay, they might look for me, I expect they will once they find out I'm missing, but they won't be able to find me, or you either—and when we return the fact they couldn't find us will help prove that any Death Eaters would not be able to find us either."

"Your will, Master...but please be aware that Albus might cross-examine us upon our return. At the very least, he will want to know where we've been, as he thinks the only place you are safe is with your relatives."

"Yes...no problem... I think...if he asks you—well, he must already know that you can't tell him anything I've told you in confidence—but you could also tell him I made a special point of forbidding you to tell him ... and you could add that I've ordered you to be with me at any time I'm with him, with the headmaster I mean, and also that you are ordered to stop him by any means possible from grilling me or using any other way, including magic, to get any information from me...he can be very insistent as I'm sure you know… or he just asks questions in a way that means that afterwards you suddenly realise you've told him more than you meant to."

"Master, you do not seem so trusting of the headmaster as you used to be?"

"It's not exactly that I don't trust him...it's more that he seems very set in what he thinks and it's difficult, almost impossible in fact, to get him to change his mind...well, and I suppose really the truth is that I'm still bloody upset with him about it at the moment; okay, I didn't spell out all the details, but I really did tell him my relatives were pretty awful to me, and he still wouldn't agree to let me stay here at school. . . so bugger him; I'll visit my aunt alright, but for a day or two only; I can put up with them for that long."

(Severus could not correct Harry when he swore, but whenever he heard any other student swear and Harry happened to be within earshot, he corrected the student strictly and loudly. Unfortunately his master was yet to take the broad hint. Several times when that had happened Severus had noticed Harry hide a slight smirk when he heard another student being corrected, so he suspected, correctly, that Harry was well aware that they were hints but had no intention of taking them.)

...

Severus could understand why Harry though he should go to 4 Privet Drive before being side-alonged to the Kiln, as that might throw anyone looking for him off the track for a short while at least, however he couldn't understand why, after his arrival at the Dursleys' residence, he did not want to leave very shortly afterwards. For some reason Harry intended to stay with his relatives for as much as a couple of days, before leaving and being away from them for the remainder of the holiday. But further questioning had only led to his master saying stubbornly, "No, I can stay there for two days; I can do that, I'm sure I can!" as if it were some sort of endurance test he had set himself.

Several days after their discussion, on behalf of his master; to protect him from danger—from what Severus feared might even be mortal danger—and it must be admitted, with the side benefit of indulging himself in some completely justified revenge, anyone who put him in danger of losing the best master he'd ever had would find that a mere slave could be their worst nightmare—Severus Snape visited the Dursleys.

He had not asked Harry's permission for the visit since he suspected he would refuse it. The omission of approval would not be a problem he thought, at least he hoped it wouldn't be, as one of his prime _raisons d'etre_ was to protect his master.

Clad, as usual, in a long black wizards' cloak, he Apparated to the secluded back garden of 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, strolled around to the front of the house, knocked on the front door, and then stood back slightly so that any curious neighbours who happened to be looking might be afforded a good view of him.

Petunia answered his knock—saw the cloak and then, seeing his face, knew him immediately and tried to shut the door in his face, but he moved too fast for her, and his left foot blocked the door.

"Get away! You needn't think I'm going to invite your sort in!"

"You appear to be under the misapprehension that I'm a vampire and need an invitation before I can enter. I am no vampire; I'm a wizard, a rather powerful one as it happens, who can walk into the house of a mere muggle whenever he likes," he drawled in a bored tone, as he shouldered the door open, pushed past her and walked into the hall.

"I know what you are! You're a slave...and not only a slave but a nasty freak like the boy; which is typical of your horrific world, still having slaves, still backward by a few centuries!... No don't! Don't you dare go into the living room...don't sit down...no, no... Vernon's due home any moment and he'll throw you out on your ear..."

"So, we wizards are backward are we? You disapprove of slavery?" Severus asked lazily, as he shrugged himself more comfortably into the cushions on the sofa.

"Any normal person would disapprove of it! It's been illegal for ...for ages, for centuries even! Only you freaks still have legal slavery and think it's alright!"

"Well, that certainly does surprise me somewhat, as I'd assumed that you and your morbidly obese husband approved of slavery and found it much to your liking, since you keep one yourselves. . . a close relation of yours too; how very normal of you to enslave your own nephew. Not that you keep him with even the minimal degree of care with which slaves are usually kept in my world, since your slave is overworked, beaten and starved on a regular basis." _Well,_ _we_ _usually are in our world too, but she_ _does not need to_ _know that._

"Get out of my house...you know nothing! ... That's Vernon at the door now, he'll throw you out!"

The front door creaked, and then Vernon Dursley's stentorian voice echoed throughout the house… "I'm home Pet!" ... Heavy footsteps could be heard thumping towards the living room.

"Ah, there you are Pet...I'm ...What! Who are you? ...You're one of them! What are you doing here you freak?" With enviable alacrity, Vernon turned an interesting colour, a shade of puce. "Sitting on my sofa!... Get out, get out before I call the police...you can't just... What? What've you done?" ...

He found his knees bending until he was kneeling, and Petunia followed him down until they were both kneeling, silently, and with their heads bent down.

"There, that must feel so much better, so much more comfortable for you; it's far more an appropriately humble a position for you sub-human freaks...

Now what was it you were saying before your pet purple monstrosity interrupted you my dear Petunia? ... Ah yes, of course, it was that we wizards know nothing of what has gone on in this house, that we know nothing of all the disgusting and _abnormal_ abuse to which you have subjected my master, Mr Potter. I am so sorry, it breaks my heart to have to tell you this, but we know it all, every nasty and revolting little detail.

"Forgive me...I must explain; we have this useful thing, this magic thing—don't you just love magic?—where we can read people's thoughts and memories do y'see? and then record them for later use, for example in a newspaper or in a court of law...I do find it endlessly fascinating how unfavourably both muggle and wizarding courts alike look so unfavourably upon child abuse, and how quick both wizards and muggles are to sentence child abusers to extensive terms in prison. …

"As to our prison system, oh dear…yes, there my sweet Petunia I must concede, you certainly have a point, we wizards are indeed well behind the times... Azkaban, our prison, dates from medieval times unfortunately and has never been modernised—it's partly that: the small, bare and dank lichen-covered stone walls, the dark freezing cells, the stench of the overflowing bucket for one's faeces and urine, the single thin and musty blanket—flea and bed-bug ridden as it is—and the once a day small bowl of un-salted gruel that serves for food, that soon sends the inmates insane, yes, it is _partly_ that, but that is not the main reason; the main reason for the inmates' insanity is the constant presence of Dementors. I am certain my dear Petunia that Mrs Lily Potter told you of those unearthly demonic wraiths that make one relive the very worst experiences of one's life over and over again, and suck out all happy thoughts, suck out everything but terror and despair? Yes it's definitely the Dementors that are the main reason our prison is immeasurably worse than even the worst of medieval muggle prisons ever were. Oh dear me yes, most reluctantly, I do have to admit that our prison system is at least seven hundred years behind the times, and immeasurably worsened by the soul sucking Dementors. . .

"But you seem to want to say something...and since I am always delighted to hear something straight from the horse's mouth, do go ahead Petunia," and he waved his hand, un-silencing her.

That enraged Petunia to even greater heights as she had overheard people likening her to a horse more than once. "Your freak world can't put us normal people on trial!" she shrieked.

Severus stretched back comfortably again on the sofa and then cast a careless hand in her direction, re-silencing her.

"Ah but my dearest Petunia, that is yet another of your many misconceptions I'm afraid; we certainly can put muggles on trial in our courts, and in fact we often do, and we certainly do so whenever one of you hurts even the least important of our citizens.

"However, you seem to have made yet another mistake; you think that you, Vernon, and your elephantine and bullying son, are normal people, normal muggles…I feel it incumbent upon myself to enlighten you of your error; your family, Petunia my dear, are far, very far, from normal. How _normal_ is child abuse? Do the vast majority of muggles consider child abuse to be normal? How many people even here in Little Whinging consider abuse of children to be normal? How will they react when they find child abusers in their midst I wonder? ...

"But I digress...to return to what I was saying: we will permit your muggle authorities handle your case at first, so that your neighbours, and indeed anyone in Britain who has access to a newspaper, the television or merely the gossip of their friends, which is to say virtually everyone, will know all the sordid details—that should completely satisfy any desire you may have to be famous, or rather, infamous.

"I fondly expect that it will be one of those stories that grab the headlines world wide—as will your later mysterious disappearance from muggle prison when we wizards remove you for trial in our own courts… that is, if we bother with a trial at all; in such open and shut cases we have been known to completely dispense with the bother of a trial...

No, no, on second thoughts I think I shall advise my master, Mr Potter, to insist on a trial, as that way you will enjoy the unequalled pleasure of being spat upon, literally spat upon, by the multitudinous wizarding public who will be crowding outside the court room as you are led, each day, to and from the holding cells—but of course you will already have become quite used to that from the outraged and disgusted _normal_ muggle people at your muggle trial a few weeks previously, and after that, and having been beaten up several times by outraged fellow prisoners in your muggle jail—I understand most criminals detest child abusers and treat them quite abominably—yes, after that, I doubt that being spat upon, all those slimy globs of spittle, will worry you excessively... Of course, it is unfortunate, quite deplorable, but no doubt the wizard public will follow up their phlegmy expectorations with some imaginative and distressingly cruel hexes—in fact I shall make quite certain that they do. Such a pity, I do feel for you.

"I suppose you do realise that in our world Mr Potter is famous and venerated as the child who defeated the worst muggle-hating Dark Lord for centuries—and in doing so saved us all, including your own sorry muggle arses?

Without Mr Potter, we all, both we wizards and you muggles, would all be living, or rather, struggling to merely exist while wondering if such a life is worth struggling for, under a regime worse than Hitler's—and, by the way, you three would no doubt have been among the earliest muggles to die or at least to pray and beg fervently for death.

So no doubt you can begin to understand how greatly we venerate your nephew, and how absolutely delighted we wizards will be to get our hands and wands on anyone who has been foolhardy enough to make our beloved saviour's childhood a hell."

Petunia, silenced and immobilised, was unable to do more than splutter and glare up at the freak who had invaded her home and now had the audacity to look at her as if she was a particularly revolting sort of insect!

The boy must have put him up to this...suddenly she found she could speak again...

"The boy must have ordered you to do this! You couldn't do it without his permission...As if we ever did anything to him that he didn't deserve..."

"Ah but my sweet Petunia, you are wrong, so very wrong; dear me, you do seem to be under yet another of your many misapprehensions; this delightful visit and its purpose was entirely my own idea; my bond allows me to defend my master, in fact it not only allows me and encourages me to do so, it absolutely insists that I do so...but I see you are not convinced that your treatment of Mr Potter was unjustified ...so since I despair of your intelligence being sufficient to understand the gravity of your crimes, allow me to give you a small gift to enjoy whilst awaiting your fame, your infamy I should say, as the notorious child abusers of number four Privet Drive ... _nos_ _vindicabitur_ _..._

"That should be sufficient, for now; if you or your elephantine husband Vernon, or your son—what was his name? ... Ah yes I remember, Dumbo—if you, your revolting obese mate and Dumbo your son —are so foolhardy, so exceedingly and foolishly courageous, as to do or say anything to hurt my master in the future, then you will all experience that same thing reflected back upon yourselves—but it will not be exactly the same I regret to say; what all three of you will experience will be double or more what you have inflicted upon my master—and I do mean that you will _all_ experience it, you will all suffer together.

Naturally, that includes things that you should do but fail to do. For example, a missing meal for my master will cause all three of you to miss four meals, since you will all regurgitate both your last two and your next two meals, along with suffering intense feelings of nausea for several days; a hurtful word or comment from one of you will result in all three of you receiving more and even worse comments from your acquaintances, and from your friends—or it would do, had you any friends—I do hope that despite your low IQs that you are quick learners, as I'd hate one of you to 'accidentally' hurt my master and then all of three of you Dursleys feel it, both magnified and multiplied.

"Now, let me think... what was the other thing I intended to ask?...ah yes...enlighten me please—I am mystified and cannot help but wonder—how it is possible that you have enough intelligence to function on a daily basis yet at the same time are so moronic that you have done your damnedest to make your nephew hate you - your nephew who is a powerful wizard and who, once he reaches seventeen, will personally have the ability to turn you into insects and bugs—I believe he favours cockroaches—and then squash you under his heel into non-existence? Or perhaps he might decide not to kill you but instead transfigure you into something—perhaps into those garish little concrete figures you muggles so amusingly think are garden gnomes. That might be preferable for you as it would enable you all to continue your hobbies of spying on your neighbours, and without the curtains getting in your way as they so often do now. Yes, that should delight you in particular Petunia, . Of course, even spying on your neighbours might become somewhat of a bore after the first few hundred years, but at least you won't be dead—however much you will be praying for it.

 _Even more idiotically_ _moronic_ _of them_ _, did they but know it, my master is both rich and generous, and would have shared his wealth with them had they been even half-way decent to him_ _._

"Whatever my wonderfully inventive young master decides to do to you to reward you for your years of abuse, I assure you there will be no evidence left for the muggle authorities, and all wizard-kind will applaud his doing it.

As it is even now, only the fact that most of us do not know— _yet_ —where you live or what you have done to him, protects you from our retribution, and I shall certainly let both your address and iniquities be widely known if you continue to treat him as you have done until today." _Well, I would if my master would allow it._

"Please attempt to bear in the forefront of your shrunken brains, that my master enjoys a far more advantageous position with regard to wand use than is usually the case among young wizards; unlike the majority of his peers, he doesn't have to wait until he is seventeen to make use of a wand, as although he, officially, is forbidden to use his own wand outside Hogwarts, whenever he likes to do so, he can permit me the use of mine—and direct me to use it in any way he desires, or tell me to feel free to cast whatever comes to mind, and I am never more than two seconds away from his telepathic call," he lied. There was no need to explain about their rings.

"I enjoy both potion and spell experimentation and have created some extremely useful spells over the years. They are dark magic admittedly; regrettably, they are extremely cruel, but so practical, so useful, and I will be delighted to have some new test subjects; after all, one can hardly test such things as night-terrors, flesh-flaying, intestine extraction and blood boiling spells on normal people."

"Well, that concludes our pleasant little chat...for now," he drawled. "We really must do it again soon. The petrification will wear off within the hour, well, it is always remotely possible that it will. I must admit that it wears off slowly and excruciatingly painfully, and is likely to return at odd and inconvenient moments, and of course it will return whenever you think uncharitable thoughts of any kind, but I'm sure that you need not worry about that, filled with loving kindness towards all mankind as you are... Goodbye, for now."

Severus left the Dursleys immobilised and kneeling in their living room; he exited the house through the front door—again making certain that he, in full wizard attire, was in full view of any interested neighbours, of which there were several—and after wandering slowly around in the front garden for a while to give them a thorough good look, he strolled around the side of the house to the back garden, which was the Apparation and Disapparation point he had chosen previously.

 _It's a great pity that I am so_ _dreadfully_ _forgetful_ _;_ _I_ _completely_ _forgot to warn them that the new rules of behaviour are not merely for how they treat Harry but also apply to how they treat anyone at all_ _;_ _how_ _unforgivably_ _remiss of me...and I do hope they think to contact their young whale at his fifth-rate public school to inform him of the new rules. Ah well, I'm sure that when they feel the results of his trying to bully someone they will_ _be reminded_ _. It is unfortunate that I had to obey my master and not punish them for what they have done to him in the past, but, conversely, it is_ _so_ _fortunate that it didn't occur to him to forbid me to give them_ _a few_ _new rules_ _for the future_ _and_ _nasty_ _consequences for breaking them_ _. Of course I expect it will take a while for them to learn better behaviour despite the dire consequences_ _..._ _mm_ _..._ _but_ _there is that free house elf who worships the 'great wizard Harry Potter sir.' I must have a quiet chat with him._ _No doubt he would enjoy a little holiday with his great hero... and ten minutes of witnessing how they speak to Harry will be ample for him to understand what th_ _eir_ _past misdeeds were likely to have been—and to rectify the situation._

 _AN 1:For everyone and particularly for the reviewer who asked if she has missed some of the story as Snape and Harry have referred to what Craigcleaver had done that resulted in them not previously knowing about the extent of Harry's wealth, yet that scene could not be found anywhere. What happened should have become more clear in this and also in later chapters – but if not then please ask about it again and I'll include the actual scene as a flashback - or explain in an AN if I'm too lazy. BTW I could not reply to you personally as you were not logged in._

 _AN 2: A reader PM'd me to say that in some cases where I'd written 'got' it should have been 'gotten' and that a character saying 'got' makes it sound as if they are totally uneducated. Actually, in British English, unlike American English, 'gotten' would be incorrect. 'Gotten' is starting to be used by British people in the last few years, perhaps due to the influence of American TV etcetera, however it is still not standard English and a child using it would be corrected by any parent or teacher who cared about correct British English. The only time the word 'gotten' is correct British English is as part of the word 'forgotten'._

 _AN 3:_ _in case some_ _readers may be unaware of it: a British 'public school' is a private school; it is not a school that is open to the general public, on the_ _contrary_ _, it is one that is private,_ _and usually very_ _expensive and exclusive._ _Some well_ _known examples are Harrow, Rugby, Winchester and Eton._


	6. Ch 5 Saving Alice

Chapter 5

Saving Alice

Harry, Hermione, Dobby and Severus were in the Room of Requirement and Harry was telling Hermione about the failure of their plan of Harry's buying Montgomery's mortgage and then forcing him to sell Alice to get the money to pay the arrears to stop Harry foreclosing on the house.

"He still won't sell her even with the threat of foreclosure on his house mortgage? Perhaps he has somehow found out that you're now the mortgage holder—but I thought you did that through an agent?—and so now he dislikes you and intends to sell her to someone else!"

"No, he doesn't know it's us because we did do it anonymously through an agent, Gringott's, and he still believes that it's Gringott's itself that holds the mortgage and who are threatening foreclosure if he doesn't pay the arrears, but the thing is, he told them to go ahead and they found out he intends to go and live in a cottage his sister owns in Wiltshire. I guess he thinks that the money he'd get by selling Alice to me would probably only postpone the foreclosure because without money from Alice's kids, he'd default on the mortgage soon anyway."

"But I thought you said that your head elf had cast a spell on his house that had stopped Alice getting pregnant, so why does he think he'll make money with her children?"

"Yes, he did, but I guess Montgomery doesn't realise yet that she won't ever be getting pregnant again."

"So you've spent all that money to buy the mortgage for nothing!... Though I suppose you'll get most of it back if you do foreclose and then sell the house—but poor Alice is still with him!"

"Well, possibly not for long; since the buying and foreclosure idea didn't work exactly like we hoped, we think we should go ahead with the fortune-teller idea, and have her make him think that Alice is bad luck and the cause of all his difficulties, so he'll want to sell her. What do you think?"

"What if that doesn't work either?"

"Then we will try something else; we won't give up yet! Anyway it was your idea, so I'm pretty sure it will work."

"So was buying the mortgage and that didn't work."

"Which just proves that this one will—it was pretty amazing that one of your ideas didn't work, so two in a row not working will be impossible.

"Harry, you're an idiot."

Harry just grinned at her and then shrugged. "Okay, your objections are noted...but are we all in agreement and okay with going ahead with it now?" he asked his fellow conspirators.

Severus and Hermione both made sounds of agreement, though Hermione still looked uncertain.

Harry continued, "However, I don't like the idea of you being the fortune-teller Severus, because if the new plan does go wrong you'll be in danger because being Polyjuiced into a free-born witch could be interpreted as breaking one or more of the laws regarding slavery, so I think I should do it myself instead." Harry narrowed his eyes significantly at Hermione to show her that he needed her to back him up.

However, before she could say anything Severus started to explain why he thought he should do it.

"But Master, I can cover my hands and arms with imitation, glamour, tattoos which, although they will not cover my bond tattoos, will make them almost impossible to see amongst all the other marks. The law says the brands cannot be covered, but says nothing about distracting anyone's attention from them. In fact it would probably be within the letter of the law to use a Notice-Me-Not charm on them,"

Harry stood silently for a few moments and then decided. "No, I'm sorry. It's too risky; I will do it myself." He said determinedly; although he didn't relish the idea of pretending to be a fortuneteller as he thought he'd make a hash of it. "Perhaps we'd better have a male fortune teller as I might find that easier."

It was obvious to Hermione from the look on his face that he didn't like the idea of pretending to be the fortune-teller at all, whatever sex it was.

"No, I agree it is just too risky for the professor," she stated, looking at Severus apologetically, "but let me do it. We've already decided on a female and, since I'm one, I think I can act a female character better than anyone else here."

"You sure?"

"Yes Harry, I'm sure."

"Right. Okay. So long as you really are sure," Harry said as quickly as possible, before she could change her mind. "Well then, we'll meet back here in the Come and Go room next Tuesday at 7pm to plan what exactly needs to be done next. Okay?"

So on Tuesday they were again in the Room of Requirement and a week after that they were there again, and finalising the arrangements they had made on the previous Tuesday.

"Fortune witch cottage be ready Master Harry sir."

"Thank you Dobby my friend! That's great. I thought it might take much longer and we would have to wait!—oh don't get upset please."

Dobby's huge eyes had started to water but he managed, with a few loud sniffs, to contain his happiness at having the wonderful Harry Potter sir not only call him his friend but also thank him.

Harry looked at him searchingly for a moment or two to satisfy himself that Dobby was alright, and then asked Severus. "Have you been as super efficient as Dobby has?"

"I cannot claim that, or even aspire to scale the giddy heights of performance and efficiency achieved by your friend the elf, Master, however I do have the Polyjuice ready if that will suffice? It merely requires the addition of hair and that I have already acquired. I had also another dose prepared for when I become the fortune-teller which will now be for Miss Granger so I'll leave that here for when it is required later."

"Excellent! That's great...but I thought it took about a month to brew?"

"Indeed it does, however I started to brew it over four weeks ago in case we had to use the fortune-teller plan after all."

"Brilliant! ... Okay then, let's do it...oh, but won't you need to write out a script to follow?" he asked Hermione.

"No, I know in general what to cover, and what the aim is, and it'll sound false and rehearsed if I learn a script. It'll be better if I just play it by ear."

"Okay, give us the potion and hairs then please Severus."

"Before I give them to you Master it would be a good idea for you both to disrobe, as your male is tall and your female Miss Granger, is short and fat. What you are now wearing will not fit."

"We need two dressing rooms," Harry informed the Room of Requirement, and two doors appeared in a side wall.

"This one is yours Master." Severus inserted a hair into one of the phials and held it out for Harry. "He is tall, about fifty years old and has sparse brown hair, and this is yours Miss Granger; she is a plump middle-aged female, about five foot four with mousy hair." Severus handed over the potions and Harry and Hermione retired to the dressing cubicles.

"Well, here goes... Mr Random Muggle coming up," could be heard from Harry.

Hermione regarded the Polyjuice sceptically, but then gamely drank it down. She was relieved to turn into a human female, not an attractive female by any means, but at least she was human. Then she transformed her uniform and cloak into muggle clothes and after trying them on and adjusting the fit, walked back out.

After adjusting his glasses to plain glass, Harry looked at himself in the cubicle mirror. A single thick dark eyebrow made a straight line across his forehead and was mirrored by a single straight half-inch wide line of a comb-over across his pate. He grabbed his cloak which was now about six inches too short for him, put it on, and stalked out of the cubicle.

"You had to choose someone who looks like a complete and utter idiot? I suppose you think this is funny? A not very subtle comment on what you think I have for brains?" he jested.

"At least your outward appearance is easily fixed Master; allow me," and Severus waved his wand. Harry expected the single eyebrow to divide in two and the comb-over to be removed, but instead Severus had conjured a pair of scissors and a safety razor, which he then presented to him.

"I think I liked you better before you developed such a childish sense of humour," Harry pretended to grumble. Severus smirked and then wandlessly removed the comb-over and all the remaining wispy hair on Harry's head and divided the eyebrow up into two eyebrows and a moustache.

"How do I look now?"

"If you thickened the rims of your glasses, then rather like a bald Groucho Marx, but it _is_ an improvement. Don't forget to lengthen your cloak... Er, underclothes might be a good idea ... Yes, that's better," Hermione commented.

"We all ready then?" Harry turned to Dobby. "Are you sure you can take both Hermione and me Dobby?"

"Yes Master Harry. Dobby easy do it."

"Right then. See you soon Severus."

Dobby held out his tiny but long fingered hands to Harry and Hermione, they grasped one each and he popped them away. Seconds later they were standing behind a building that should be the inn they had to patronise.

"Please make yourself invisible now please Dobby," Harry whispered and Dobby faded from view for a few seconds before becoming visible again. "Dobby, I can see you again."

"Yes, only Master Harry see Dobby."

Harry turned enquiringly to Hermione who was hugging herself and shivering. "I can't see him," she confirmed, "and it's not just because of the freezing drizzle. We certainly picked a good night for it!"

"Forgotten you're a witch again haven't you?"

"Ah, stupid!" she berated herself, then cast a warming charm. "Gods, that's better... Lead on McDuff."

They walked along the side and then to the front of the old half-timbered Elizabethan public house. It had a wooden sign hanging from a pole which stuck out about one story up the front wall, and it, creaking and swinging wildly in a suddenly stiff breeze, declared itself to be 'The Hanged Highwayman. The pictured highwayman's head hung at an extremely unnatural angle, and just in case anyone still harboured a few doubts that he really had been hanged, his tongue and eyes protruded several inches from his face. Hermione looked up at it and shuddered.

"There's not much point in us waiting out here if they've arrived early. Please check if they are already inside Dobby," Harry requested his devoted elf.

A few seconds later Dobby returned. "They is not being inside Master Harry," he whispered. "But bad Monty is being there."

"Oh good. Thanks Dobby. Please wait for the professor and let him know that Steve and his friend are not here yet, then come in and join us inside, but don't let anyone see you," Harry said quietly.

"Dobby will do Master Harry," the elf replied in a stage whisper.

"Thanks Dobby... Okay then, let's do it," and he and Hermione approached the heavy oak barroom door. Harry pushed it open, and ducking under the low lintel, they entered the pub. Ignoring Alice's owner who was seated at a side table, they walked across the floor and sat down at the bar but within hearing distance of him.

Meanwhile Dobby stood back beside the driveway and waited for Severus to appear.

Once past the front door the pub had given up all pretence at being as trendily ancient as the outside looked, and had settled for old and grimy. Hermione cast Scourgify surreptitiously before she seated herself.

An ancient fat barmaid with straggly three-toned hair, blonde, black and grey at the roots, limped heavily along the back of the bar until she was in front of them. "What can I do for yer love?" she asked.

"A butter...bitter...half a pint of bitter for me and a bitter shandy for the lady please."

The barmaid said nothing, drew their drinks, served them and held out her hand for the money. Harry gave her a tenner, expected change but received none.

A few moments after Harry and Hermione had entered the hotel, Severus Apparated to appear beside the bushes at the side of the inn's gravel driveway and a second later, whirled around, wand out, to confront whatever it was that had grabbed at his robe.

"Only Dobby here! Master Harry Potter say Dobby tell Master Potions Master Bad Man in inn but gambling people not in inn."

Severus restrained his urge to berate the elf, his master's elf friend, and merely commented that perhaps it might have been safer for the elf to show himself and so not risked being hexed.

"Dobby think same Master potions Master think, but Master Harry say invisible."

Severus shrugged. _My master probably meant that you were not to show yourself when you enter the public house._ "Thank you Dobby. I shall await them here. You may rejoin your wizard friend."

Dobby nodded, not that Severus could see him, and popped away to Harry at the pub's bar.

Severus stepped back into the bushes and shadows beside the drive to wait.

About four minutes later two men appeared on the driveway and started to walk to the pub's door. _Definitely wizards then, and not overly concerned about the Statute of Secrecy apparently_ _._

Severus waited until they had walked past his hiding place and then cast two silent Stupefies to drop both men. He stepped forward, cut a few hairs from each of their heads in case they were needed later, and then cast two pre-prepared false memory charms, first on one and then the other—the memories were of the two having met and talked to 'David and Laura' twice before—he then revived them, stepped aside and Disapparated back to Hogwarts.

A few minutes later both men, looking slightly disgruntled, as if they felt annoyed about something, that something was wrong but they weren't sure what, entered the barroom. When the taller of the two, a blond haired man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, and whose once handsome features were blurred by his being about a stone overweight, saw Harry, he forgot trying to work out what it was that had made him feel uneasy, and broke into a wide grin.

He called out, "Well there they're 'ere after all! 'Ello agen. Luciano, look oo's 'ere!" He nudged his smaller friend as they both approached the bar.

As they approached, Luciano noticed Mr Montgomery sitting off to the side, and nodded 'Hello' to him. "We'll be with you soon," he said, before turning back towards the couple at the bar, but then he hung back a little so he was behind his friend and secretly cast a Muffliato around the four of them, but Harry noticed and cast Finite Incantatum to remove it, without either man noticing.

"Steve, Luciano," Harry and Hermione nodded in greeting.

"Hi David, Laura. So, you decided to tell us 'er name and how to find 'er after all then? We thought you'd run out on us. A bet's a bet and yer lost that last one despite 'er advice.

"True. Her predictions are only about eighty to ninety percent accurate remember? Her name's Perdita, Madam Perdita."

"Where's she live then?"

"Well, that we can't tell you because we don't know ourselves. It wouldn't be an address muggle... er... most people could use anyway." Harry let a little of his magic out as if by accident, just enough, with the pretended 'muggle' slip, to make certain the duo were aware he was a wizard.

"Ha! Thought so! Well surprise, surprise!" Steve turned to his friend, smirking, and they both turned back to Harry again. "We ain't muggles neither. What's 'er address?" asked Steve.

"You're both wizards?" 'David' and 'Laura' looked at each other in simulated surprise and dismay and had a pretended wordless consultation with each other.

A few seconds later, as if he and Hermione had come to an unspoken agreement, Harry turned his face to them again. "...Okay... Well, I suppose we were going to be out of here after tonight anyway, after a quick game, so seeing you're both wizards and not bloody muggles, we'll tell you. Don't suppose you would've had much left to bet with anyway," he said in a resigned tone.

"Yeah, and yer would've ' given us a quick Obliviate so we'd play agen too I reckon. Well 'ard luck mate, that ain't gonna work. We've both got our wands trained on yer. So, what's 'er addy?"

"We honestly don't know what Perdita's residential address is, but the floo one's Perdita's Luck," Harry informed them loudly. He then went on, "if you intend to visit her today you'll have to leave it until eight as she doesn't start seeing anyone until then." Which should give Hermione time for the original polyjuice to wear off and to take the second dose to turn her into 'Madam Perdita.'

Hermione risked a side glance at Montgomery and was reassured to see him scribbling something down on a scrap of paper.

"You're both bloody lucky you know," Harry informed them. "Fortune-tellers who're the real deal are scarce as hens' teeth. Don't go and tell everyone; it's hard enough to get appointments with her as it is." _Especially as no such woman actually exists._

"Think we're stoopid? Thanks for the addy - it'd better be right or we'll 'ave to 'unt yer down for it."

"It's the right one don't worry... Well, we'll be out of here, not much point in staying now."

"Nobody can't floo from 'ere, so we'll leave with yer. Muggins over there will 'ave to wait to be fleeced 'til later. We'll be 'itting Knockturn's dens 'fore getting back to 'im, the stupid old idjeet," Steve laughed.

The four, plus the invisible Dobby, exited the pub together. Once outside, Harry hung back a little until the other three were slightly ahead of him and then Obliviated both men. They would remember neither this real encounter with 'David and Laura' nor the false memories of the previous encounters that Severus had implanted. By the time the two had recovered and, although again feeling a little confused, and thinking they had not yet entered the inn, were walking towards its door again, Dobby had returned Harry and Hermione to Hogwarts.

Steve and Luciano re-entered the inn and looked around for their favourite victim, but Mr Montgomery wasn't there. "Funny, I felt sure e'd be 'ere tonight for some reason."

His friend sneered, "Well, I cannot say that I am surprised," he said in an educated accent that held only a faint trace of his Italian birthplace. "Your plans are invariably a cock-up... However, we are rather early, he probably hasn't extracted his cock from his lady wife yet."

" 'E ain't married, far as I know, an' yer bein' a ponce as per usual. Wot yer got ter be stuck up abart blowed if I know, bloody Eye-tie. "He clapped Luciano fondly on the back. "Your lot don' 'arf carry on. Drama queens the lot o' yer. Come 'n get a drink down yer gullet, that'll sweeten yer up. Always works on yer sister anyroad."

Meanwhile, Mr Montgomery had Apparated home and had rushed over to the fireplace in his drawing room. Then, realising he would be too early if he went to the fortune-teller immediately, he turned and made himself a cup of coffee while he waited until eight pm. At last, as the clock struck the hour, he took a large pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fire and, speaking carefully, enunciated "Perdita's Luck," stepped into the green flames and whirled away.

Montague Montgomery found himself in a tiny, low ceilinged, white walled room. There was nothing in it apart from a cast-iron-surrounded fireplace, one lead-lighted window and an outside door. It appeared that he was in a separate, single-roomed building that seemed to have been built solely for receiving floo travellers, which was not a common arrangement, but fortune-tellers were often a bit odd. Though the open door he could see the gate of a low picket fence with a jumbled but flourishing old-fashioned English country garden behind it. The chocolate box look of the cottage at the end of this garden was complete even to the thatched roof and red climbing roses around the door. After leaving the small building and walking to the gate, he unlatched it and walked up the brick path to the cottage door. As he reached forward to tug on the bell-pull, the door opened to reveal a short, plump, white haired and wrinkly-faced old lady with pale blue eyes and whose clothes at first glance appeared to consist solely of adroitly placed and pinned wispy scarves.

She smiled up him. "Come in my dear, do come in. You're a teeny weeny bit late of course, but that's no problem, no problem at all. Just have to hurry it along a bit, along a bit. You'd like a cuppa? Yes of course you would. Milk and two sugars wasn't it? Yes of course it was, and shortbread biscuits. Made them for you specially Monty dear, I can't say I'm fond of them myself; too dry d'you see. At my age you get a bit too dry in the mouth...and other places too of course," she gave a high-pitched giggle. "Still can't complain, can't complain."

As she was speaking she had clasped his arm, with what for such an old woman was a surprisingly strong grip, and half led, half dragged him, along the hall and into a room where apparently the bulk of her scarf collection was housed. Lighting consisted of candles placed on all available flat surfaces and there was a large crystal ball on the scarf-draped table.

"Yes dear, amazing isn't? I can see you love it! Impressive heh? I designed it myself. Wonderful ambience all the scarves create don't they? And they are essential for the spirits too of course, of course."

Mr Montgomery was impressed, not only did she know his name and apparently had expected his visit, but also that all the flames from the candles did not catch the floating scarves on fire. "Why don't the candles ignite the material as it floats past and through them?"

Madame Perdita's smile faltered for a second. "Don't be silly Monty dear; as if they'd dare! Now sit yourself down dear boy, drink your tea, and let me concentrate."

She pushed him gently towards an ornately carved high backed wooden chair in front of the table and then seated herself in an equally uncomfortable-looking chair opposite him, and stared intently into the crystal ball. Montgomery picked up his cup of tea. He hadn't noticed it arrive and was now almost certain that the old lady was a witch, and probably a reasonably skilled fortune-teller as she seems to know all about him.

She stared silently into the ball for several minutes.

 _I'm an idiot, of course she's a witch, I arrived by floo...well, she could be a squib I suppose, but somehow I don't think so_. He was just at the point of asking what she was seeing in the crystal ball when she spoke. Her voice was quite changed, it was unnaturally low pitched and echoed around the room; it sent shivers through him, though he chided himself for being so easily impressed by someone who still might be some sort of charlatan.

Montgomery stared into the ball, it looked completely clear to him, however that didn't surprise him as he knew he had no gift for Divination. He sat back and waited, trying to be patient while the old biddy stared at her crystal ball. At length he was rewarded; she spoke at last.

"Well, the mist clears, yes ... Oh no, oh dear, you are a most ill-fated and misfortunate man. But, but, what is this? This should not be! You have a gift, a rare gift, seldom seen, a gift of foretelling. You should be rich in gold and worldly veneration...but...but, what is this?... I see it! Some ill-starred thing hinders thy wondrous gift, blocks it completely, something lowly but strong, oh my yes! The woeful influence of it, the stultification of her, smothers thy gift. Ah what ill-fortune has been yours! All but the curst one herself lost, sadly lost. Dearie me, dearie me, but who would want thy house and mortgage, eh? And who would want the lowly one in your house, lowly and disregarded, ill-omened. Oh dear, what an ill-starred abomination, what a frown of fortune. . . But wait, the mist swirls again. . . Ah! What is this? ... Mayhap all be not lost... free yourself of the ill-fated one, unencumbered, sweet Lady Fortune returns, fortune within thy grasp once more. Remember, ever remember, scarlet, the colour of life's vitality yes, so fortunate for such as you. Scarlet red the colour of choice. Scarlet yes, and twenty three the key to thousands. What a future could be thine... Ah, the mist returns ... Ah, it goes...it drifts...it drifts, ah alas, it is quite gone."

Hermione was not at all concerned that her so called 'seeing' lacked finesse or subtlety, since her opinion of Montgomery's intelligence was so low that she believed he would not have understood anything less obvious.

Madame Perdita slowly lifted her eyes from her crystal ball. "My, my, seldom has my ball shown so clearly, the advice been so exact! It meant something to you I trust Monty dear? . . . Ah, good. . . No, no, don't tell me what; I do not need to know . . . Now dear, I'm afraid I must ask for a small contribution; a mere thirteen sickles is all I ask."

Mr Montgomery foraged around in his pocket for change and then handed over the sickles which were quickly secreted in the little old woman's bodice.

He muttered "I'll probably see you again then," and hurried from the room, down the hall, walked to the floo building, and flooed back to Mont's Mount.

He had much to think about. Obviously the 'lowly one' the woman had referred to must be his slave Alice. How could she be the cause of his ill-fortune though? On the contrary, money from her offspring helped to keep him afloat. On the other hand, she was not much of a breeder; she had only had two rug rats in the last seven years. If only his darling Marita were still alive, she would have known what to do. He poured himself a firewiskey and sank down in an armchair to think about it. Then he sat straight up again. _Hang on! Twenty three thousand? Hadn't that been the offer the Potter boy had made for Alice just_ _two or_ _three weeks ago?_ He was certain that it had been. However he'd refused it; not only hadn't he wanted to sell her at all, but also twenty three thousand galleons had been an insultingly low offer. Still, if she really was the bad influence that was stymying his success, perhaps he should reconsider. He had not tried to bargain to get a higher price as at the time he had not wanted to sell her at all, but he could probably get the boy to up the offer by quite a bit if he did decide to sell her after all. He'd have to think about it.

Harry and Hermione had expected Montgomery might soon return to the Hanged Highwayman to test the accuracy of Perdita's fortune telling and when Dobby heard that, he volunteered to help.

"Dobby stake out in inn Master Harry Potter sir," he said, which puzzled Harry for a moment.

" 'Stake out in in' ? Oh, sorry, I get it: you'll go to the inn and keep watch for Montgomery? That'd be great; it'll save us going there for nothing if he doesn't visit for a while. Once he does turn up, just pop back and let me know." Harry didn't mention that Severus had already planted a listening charm in the bar-room for that purpose as Dobby liked to be useful.

Dobby did not have to wait for long as the next evening Montgomery returned to the Hanged Highwayman and seated himself at his usual table to await the duo with whom he usually played poker.

Dobby reported back to Harry who thanked him and seconds later the four of them were outside the pub and listening in on the conversation between Montgomery, Steve and Luciano.

Shortlly after Luciano and Steve had arrived they bought a round of drinks, then joined Montgomery at his table and they exchanged a few pleasantries while they drank .

Luciano apologised, "We missed you last night old boy. We thought that you were there when we came in but by the time we'd bought our drinks you had disappeared."

"That's right, sorry about that. I suddenly remembered something I had to do at home," Montgomery explained.

"'Ow was she then?" Steve sniggered. "Some scarlet woman you got yerself there?"

"Scarlet, scarlet woman?" . . . No, no woman. . . Just something I'd forgotten to do earlier."

"Feel like a game?"

"No, sorry Steve; I'm not in the mood for some reason. Wouldn't mind a few bets though. 'How about? . . . Oh I don't know ... I bet you the next person who walks in's a woman and she's wearing... scarlet, yes that's it, wearing a scarlet rob...dress or at least wearing scarlet on her somewhere."

Steve thought for a moment, "Okay. If she isn't, then how much do we win?"

"Twenty three pounds."

"I told yer yer wanted a scarlet woman. Funny odd number, but twen'y three quid it is then.

They sat for a short while, idly exchanging their similar views on how the world was going to the dogs, but it was only a few minutes before a young woman came through the door which had been held open for her by a clean-shaven blond man wearing a black mac. The woman too was in black, all except for a red scarf around her neck.

Montgomery grinned. "Pay up my friends, pay up."

"Of course. I'm not certain that that shade of red is in fact scarlet, but it's near enough I suppose, but I feel like playing poker," Luciano decided, and he drew a pack of cards from a pocket.

Montgomery didn't wish to play poker or to make any more bets. Both the scarlet scarf and the twenty three pounds had proved, to his satisfaction at least, that the fortune-teller knew her business. "No, sorry, no can do; I've got to get going. Some other night perhaps. You might be able to interest the scarlet scarf lady and her beau into playing. She owes it to you."

Luciano handed him two tens and some change and Montgomery walked out of the pub, and once around the corner and out of sight, he Apparated home. He had things to get ready.

Steve and his brother-in-law Luciano, walked over to the newcomers, but their enquiries about playing poker were met with "No, sorry, our religion doesn't allow gambling," so they rapidly backed away before they could be subject to more information about whatever bloody daft religion that was, and fled back to drinking at their own table.

Luciano remarked to Steve, "Thank the gods we wizards don't believe in their God," and Steve grinned and nodded his agreement. After a few more beers for Steve and glasses of wine for Luciano, and not having noticed that the barmy religious nut couple had already disappeared, they too left the pub and Apparated to their homes.

The conspirators met up again in the Room of Requirement; Harry was laughing. "You should have seen their faces when they thought we were about to talk religion at them. They scuttled back to their table as if the Furies were after them."

"And all went well Master?"

"Yep. I'm pretty sure that dear old Monty Montgomery will be contacting us very soon."

"It did seem to go well...but Harry, several things could still go wrong. Don't get over optimistic, he hasn't contacted you yet. Even if he does decide to sell her, he might decide to sell her to someone else." Hermione said, trying to calm him down.

Severus had thoughts of his own; if necessary, and if he could get Harry to agree—and with an appeal to Harry's sympathy for Alice, he thought he probably could get him to agree—a quick Imperius on Montgomery would ensure he sold to Harry and no-one else.

It was a good thing that trying to persuade Harry to let him cast an Unforgivable turned out to be unnecessary, as despite what Severus thought, Harry certainly would not have agreed, as that would have put Severus in far too much danger from the authorities.

The following day Harry received an owl from Montgomery with the message that he was now prepared to discuss selling Alice. Despite Perdita telling him that twenty three was his lucky number, Montgomery was determined to negotiate a better price than the twenty three thousand galleons which was what he remembered The Boy Who Lived had offered him. However when talking to Harry by fire-call later, Harry forestalled him by saying—to to Severus' amazed disgust—"No, I will pay you up to twenty five thousand. I have been thinking about it and just twenty three wouldn't be a fair price at all."

There was silence for moment." Twenty five thousand galleons?"

"Yes, of course, galleons."

"Well, good. That does seem fair. I accept." Montgomery could hardly believe what a soft touch, what an idiot, the Boy Who Lived was.

After disconnecting the fire-call, Harry turned to Severus. Seeing his expression he explained; "He was going to haggle anyway, and I'm no good at that, so I thought I'd just tell him the most I was prepared to pay. Well, actually no, I would've been prepared to pay a lot more than that, but twenty five seemed reasonable and I thought he might agree to that without haggling—and that was what he would've haggled me up to anyway. Luckily he did accept it straight away, so we're both happy."

"You were most fortunate that he then did not attempt to negotiate a higher price than the twenty five."

Harry grinned. "Yeah, wasn't I? It's no use you looking disapproving you know. Anyway, if he had tried to make me pay more I'd have just asked you to haggle... sorry. . . 'negotiate,' for me."

Severus smiled and shook his head.

"You don't need to worry you know, we've got more money than we'll be able to use in our lifetimes - and the money is fond of us, very well intentioned towards us it is, it makes a lot more of itself all the time. In fact we'll be going well to manage to spend even half the interest.

"Of that I am aware Master. However it would be remiss of me not to advise you . . . Well... no, perhaps not; if it pleases you to spend an extra thousand here and there, then why not? The goblins have certainly invested your gold cleverly and remuneratively."

"That's right! Glad you agree, or that you pretend to agree anyway. By the way, please don't ever mention how rich we are to Ron, or even to Hermione; they couldn't help but be a bit envious I should think. . . Oh sorry, of course you wouldn't do that. Talking of that, have you any ideas about how I could send some of it their way anonymously? A while back I made the mistake of asking Hermione for ideas of how I could give some to the Weasleys without them knowing it was from me, so now if I want to give her any she would recognise her own tricks."

"I believe Miss Granger would prefer to earn her own money, however as a muggle-born she faces difficulties in advancement after she leaves Hogwarts, but if you, once you are an adult, even if you were to merely make it known that she is a protégée of yours, or even merely a friend, that would help her tremendously."

Harry was taken aback and was silent for a few seconds, and then said, "You really think I'll have that much influence?"

"But of course Harry, and much more than that. You are the last of an ancient and noble house, you have three seats on the Wizengamot, you may well be the richest wizard in Britain—money not only earns interest and dividends for you, it also talks, in fact it will make most convincing speeches on your behalf—and you are the Boy Who Lived. You will have vast power and influence."

"Cripes!"

"Succinctly put Master."

"But...but...I won't know how to do that! I mean I don't even begin to know how the Wizarding world works yet; I'm from a little cupboard in a medium sized muggle house in Little Whinging, not from some huge mansion somewhere."

"For lessons in political manoeuvring and how to achieve your own political goals, the obvious person to teach you would be Albus, however that is something to think about for the future, at present you have other concerns, more important concerns. I believe I have said it before, but there are other things upon which you should be concentrating: primarily our lessons in Defence Against the Dark Arts. However, if you are interested, there are several books I can recommend which will make you familiar with the wider Wizarding world, its politics and pure-blood etiquette." _And although I hate to think this, had your godfather not been incarcerated and then_ _turned his toes up and_ _died, he would have been a reasonably good tutor to teach you the basics. If he had ever matured beyond being a childish_ _and murderous young_ _bully that is._

"My godfather, Sirius Black, could have taught me all this couldn't he?. . . If they hadn't thrown him into prison for something he hadn't done!"

Severus stared at his master. "I was just thinking the same thing. Although I'm not sure how effective a mentor he would have been; as a child he rebelled against his upbringing and pure-blood tradition." _Not to mention his immaturity and grievous character faults._

"I've just remembered something else that I've been meaning to ask you; you must have got quite a few memories of Sirius as you were in the same year weren't you? And of my parents too. Can you put them in a pensive for me? Please?. . ."

Severus said nothing for a moment or two, and then said apologetically, "I could do that Harry, and would be pleased to do so with my memories of your mother, however, forgive me please, but I am not the best person to show you memories of Sirius or of Mr Potter, it would be better to ask professor McGonagal or Hagrid for those."

"But why? I can ask them too, of course I can, but I thought you were in the same year and classes?"

"I was a Slytherin and your father and Sirius were Gryffindors. The rivalry between those houses and the mutual hatred, was no less then than it is now, so my memories would be biased, much in the same way as Ron's would be of Draco or Draco's of Ron."

"Well, I think that it'd be good for me to see your view of them plus Hagrid's too then. He told me he really liked Dad, Sirius and Moony, so if I get memories from him which would probably be biased the other way from yours, then between the two I should get an idea of what they were really like. . . Why are you looking like that? What aren't you telling me?"

"Master, I shall of course provide the memories if that is your wish. However, please consider carefully if you really want me to do so. Sirius and Mr Potter both ... loathed me, and I ...well, the memories will not be pleasant viewing. Please, if you do view them, remember that we were young at the time, and you father matured into someone whom your mother could love, and indeed, was so unusually kind and generous a person that he rescued me from the Malfoys." _Though that was more for his wife than out of concern for me._

"Would you mind very much if I still want to see them? I promise I won't suddenly dislike you like you say Dad did."

 _That dear Harry is not my concern. I just hate to disillusion you about your father_. "I shall do as you say Harry. Do you wish me to get a pensive now?"

Just under two hours later it was a much subdued Harry who was talking to Severus again.

"No wonder you didn't want me to see them! How can Dad and Sirius been such prats, have been such cruel bullies? And I was thinking that you didn't want me to see them because I might start to share their view of you - and all the time it was just because you didn't want me to be hurt by finding out what they were really like. Gods, I hate bullies! ...and I'm so sorry; I shouldn't have pushed you into doing it after you were obviously so reluctant, that was very insensitive and rather bullying of me too."

"Please do not feel that you should apologise Master, it is your right to order me as you will. Please do not upset yourself about your father and Black, remember that was just my view of it and I only ever saw the worst of them. Hagrid's memories or Minerva's will give you a more objective view of them—a more balanced view—and you haven't seen all my memories of your mother. She was a good person, and James did mature enough that she was able to love him."

"I will do that, but not today. I'm going back to the dorm now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Harry."

Harry found that he couldn't sleep. After trying to go to sleep for nearly three hours he gave up and got out of bed, went down to the common room and tried, unsuccessfully, to read a muggle detective story.

However despite his best efforts to stop it, his mind was determined not to let him think of anything except what he'd seen in the pensive.

Severus had compared the relationship between him and James and Sirius to that between Draco and Ron, but actually it had been more like that between Harry and Dudley, or Harry versus Dudley and his gang. He'd remember forever that awful scene where Sirius and his Dad had levitated Severus and hung him upside down so that his ragged underwear had been on display for all to see and then they had jeered and made fun of him! That could so easily have been a scene between himself and Dudley. Why on Earth had his mother ever liked his father, let alone loved him, after seeing him do that? And then Sirius had tried to get Mooney to kill Severus! Attempted murder in other words, and it would have devastated Moony when he came back to himself; why, if it was known that he had killed someone they would have had him Kissed! Maybe Sirius should have been in Azkaban anyway, just not for the same crime that they thought he had committed.

Oh how he wished now that he'd listened to Severus when he tried to dissuade him from seeing the memories!

Harry was not too sure that he ever wanted to see any pensive memories ever again. . .though perhaps he should look at Hagrid's at least. Even Severus had said that his own memories were biased, so perhaps looking at some through Hagrid's rose coloured glasses would help him see another side of his Dad. At least his dad had stopped Severus going to Remus and getting killed or turned into a werewolf.

...

The day they were to purchase Alice having arrived at last, Harry walked up to the front door of Montgomery's large and rambling manor house. He appeared to be alone, however Severus was beside him under the invisibility cloak.

Montague Montgomery was waiting for him. In the previous hour he had made a few special arrangements of his own; he had ordered his three house-elves to go to the main greenhouse and to remain there until he called them and then called Alice to the drawing room and told her—to her puzzled surprise as she was not usually permitted to sit in his presence—to sit on a chair by the window and he then placed the sale contract on the oak table and placed a silencing charm around it.

On hearing the doorbell he stood still for a few seconds before realising that he had banished his elves to the greenhouse so he'd have to answer the door himself, so he traversed the wide hall and pulled the door open.

"Ah, Mr Potter, it is an honour to meet you again. Come in, come in," he said genially. Mr Montgomery stood back to let Harry in, then stepped outside for a moment and cast a quick look around, which was fortuitous since it allowed Harry to push the door even more widely open to let Severus enter behind him.

"All by yourself today? And why not? Come this way; Alice and the contract are in the drawing room," and Montgomery led the way to the room and then to Alice.

"Here's the woman. Do you wish me to have her strip so you can examine her? She's a good breeder, though I've not had anyone service her for a while," he lied.

Alice was staring, hopefully, at Harry. She recognised him from the time he had bought her daughter, Sara. When she heard what her master said she frowned slightly. _Not had anyone 'service' her? What about his own frantic efforts to get her pregnant again?_ She said nothing of course.

"No, that is completely unnecessary," Harry disgustedly replied to Montgomery's question.

He placed a magically signed IOU for twenty five thousand galleons (that would be honoured by Gringotts) on the table, and then started to read the contract prior to signing it. Severus noticed that Montgomery was standing back slightly and holding his wand at an angle which indicated he might soon use it, and held up his own wand, prepared to stun the man should he try to cast something on Harry.

Once Harry had finished reading the contract he said, "That all seems fine, just like the last one actually. Do you have a blood quill for me to sign with?

"Yes of course Mr Potter. Here. . . and once you've signed it, then so will I."

As Harry finished signing Montgomery raised his wand and was about to cast a spell but before he could utter more than 'Stu...' Severus had stunned him with a Stupefy of his own and Montgomery fell to the floor.

Harry spun around. "What! What just happened?"

"He tried to stun you Master. I've no idea why."

They both stared down at Monty Montgomery for a few seconds and then Severus added, "But Veritaserum will soon find out," and he lifted the man as if he weighed nothing, and propped him up so that he was sitting on a chair. "Incarcerus." Thick ropes curled themselves around the stunned man, binding him to the chair.

Then Severus turned to Harry. "Use of Veritaserum is restricted. Are you happy for me to use it Master?"

Harry nodded, "You can do the questioning."

Severus felt beneath his outer robes and extracted a tiny phial from amongst those he carried in a belt around his waist, and then turned back to the bound man, prised his mouth open and let three drops of the serum fall upon his tongue.

"Enervate."

Montgomery stirred and within a few seconds was awake. He looked at Severus.

"Two of you?" he asked groggily.

"Indeed." Severus said nothing more and waited for Montgomery's eyes to glaze over...

"Why did you attempt to stun my master?"

Montgomery struggled to keep his mouth closed and then, the serum taking full effect, he slumped in the chair and, slurring his words, admitted, "Obliviate him and give him false memory…that he'd decided not buy woman and had torn up IOU."

"With what purpose?"

"I keep her and still have money . . .for house and debts."

"How did you intend to hide the evidence that the money had been taken from his vault?"

"Memory charm to make him think he'd donated it to charity. . .anonymously."

Severus shook his head. "Is the money enough to save the house?"

"No, but I will get more."

"What other debts do you have?"

"Gambling, 'n' money lender. Bad usurers, bad interest."

"How much do you owe in total?"

"Thirty seven, thereabouts."

"How did you intend to get the rest of the money?"

Montgomery struggled not to answer, but then admitted, "Sell her to stupid boy again."

Severus turned away from him in disgust. "What do you wish me to do to him Master?"

"I'm not sure what we can do. I want Alice, so perhaps just make him sign the contract and we'll take her and ...?"

Harry was interrupted by the noise of Montgomery's chair's legs scraping across the floor as he pushed himself along with his feet to try to free himself. Severus looked enquiringly at Harry, who nodded, and Severus cast Stupefy on the man again. Montgomery fell, taking the chair with him, but then, horrified, they saw that as he fell he hit his head on the fire grate and was now unconscious. Severus stepped towards him, intending to stand the chair, with him in it, back up again. However when he bent down he realised that the man was not breathing and there was a red pool of blood under his head. He felt his neck, but there was no pulse. He turned the man's head slightly and then stood back up again.

"Master, he is dead."

Harry, in shock, stood still for a moment and then said, "Can we try CPR? Or whatever it's called; you know, the Muggle thing where you press his chest or something and breathe into his mouth?"

"Unfortunately not. One of the fire irons has penetrated his brain..."

"It was an accident Severus, only an accident. . .but what do we do now? Should I call the Aurors? But what if they don't think it was an accident and think I did it, or worse, think you did? Those laws are so unfair and cruel...No, no, I won't risk that...they would want you dead, and probably in a painful way too... No, it's alright...I shall say that I was the one who cast the Stupefy."

He turned slightly and pointed his wand at the wall, "Stupefy! There, that should do it if they check my wand... Go back to Hogwarts immediately Sev."

"Harry…please listen to me for a moment. It is honourable and self-sacrificing of you to try and take the blame, and I thank you for it, however Veritaserum is often used in trials now. Under questioning the truth would be revealed... may I suggest an alternative?"

"Yes, please do! You've thought of some other way?"

"Pemberley could almost certainly be of assistance, elf magic being what it is, and Wizards being unable to detect it. I suggest we call him... Meanwhile please permit me to place a Statis charm on the body so that we can alter the apparent time of death if that becomes necessary."

"Until after we are gone from here you mean?"

"Precisely so."

Harry called, in a voice with a hint of a shake to it, "Pemberley!"

Pemberley appeared only two seconds later. "Master called!"

He looked around and saw the body. "Master requires Pemberley for a little wet work? Excellent." He rubbed his hands together. "Master is reviving the old traditions!"

"Er, well, sort of, not exactly." Harry was taken aback, as usual, with Pemberley's attitude and unwelcome information. "The man tried to stupify me and cheat us, but unfortunately after we bound and questioned him, he struggled and when I thought he was going to get free I cast Stupefy on him and then he fell and hit his head. Is there some way we can not be involved in this?"

"Certainly Master. I suggest that you permit me to take him, and the woman," he waved his hand casually towards Alice who was still sitting, wide eyed, on a chair by the window, and whom Harry had almost forgotten about, "to Potters' Kiln or one of your other houses, leave him under the Statis charm that I can see you have already placed him under, and then I'll return him here in about a week and release the charm. When the body is found it will be discovered that he died a week from now. As for the woman, what do you want done with her?"

The silencing charm Montgomery had placed around the table had fallen with his death, and Alice had been listening with mounting distress and fear to their discussion. At the elf's question, she waited for the young master to Obliviate her at best, or even to tell his elf or slave to kill her.

"I'd half forgotten about Alice." Harry muttered and then turned towards her. "Sorry Alice, don't worry we'll fix this somehow I promise. You'll be safe." He turned back to Severus. "Is there some way we can forge Montgomery's signature on the contract of sale?"

Severus replied, "If there is parchment somewhere here with his handwriting on it, I can easily determine..." but was interrupted by Pemberley.

"Allow me to hold his hand and, as he is not long dead, I can sign his signature and magic will accept it."

"Oh? Strange! Good though, yes I think we'll do that. Then I'll leave the IOU here and we can take Alice back to Hogwarts with us...But won't they wonder, if he doesn't die for about a week, why he hadn't cashed the IOU?" he asked Severus.

"I greatly doubt it would be questioned Master, and even if it were, the record of Alice's sale will be magically recorded and will only refer to the amount paid, not as to whether or not the IOU was cashed. In fact IOUs are a currency of sorts themselves, and are often held for several months, even years, without being converted into galleons.

Harry was still thinking, thinking aloud. "What about if Pemberley doesn't sign as Montgomery, which would mean that officially Alice is not yet sold. He can bring the body back in a couple of months which would provide time for me to be entitled to foreclose for continued non-payment of the house mortgage. Once the foreclosure is completed the house and all its contents, including Alice and the IOU will be mine anyway...even if he has made a will, and remember, the Lovegoods' investigations showed that up until a few months ago he hadn't done so anyway, but even if he has a will, the house contents will include any slaves and so she will then become mine. Meanwhile, Pemberley can take Alice to one of my houses. Once the foreclosure is completed it can either be discovered that Montgomery has been lying dead in his house for about a week after an accidental fall, or, another alternative would be that Pemberley doesn't bring Montgomery back at all and vanishes all evidence of his demise, in which case there will merely be his mysterious disappearance..."

"I think either idea would work, but in either case, there is no need for the IOU to be left here as there will be no signed contracts."

"Oh yes, of course..."

Pemberley interrupted Harry's thoughts. "I can vanish all evidence of his death including any lingering spell evidence, more easily than I can leave him here and change the evidence as to how he died."

"Er, that seems alright then, maybe his disappearance is best."

Harry turned to Alice. "Alice, we came here today to get you from your master and reunite you with Sara, but he tried to trick us. I think you saw what happened and that it was an accident, but there are people in the Ministry who are keen to do whatever they can to hurt me, me and Severus too. That's why we have to make it look as if we were not here; are you okay with the idea of going to one of my houses for a while? If you stay here the Aurors will question you and you'd have to answer truthfully. They will look after you well at my house I promise you. No-one will be able to find you, and after a couple of months you'll legally belong to me anyway... If my elf Pemberley pops you away, even if they know of your existence, they will have no way of telling where you have gone as elf magic isn't traceable, you will have disappeared as mysteriously as Montgomery himself—and my house is magically hidden and warded too."

Alice bowed. "Master, I would be very grateful to be taken to your house." _And I'm even more grateful that y_ _ou are not going to_ _get rid of me along with all the other evidence. . ._ "Master Montgomery was not kind and he is gone now so I can feel that my bond to him is almost totally broken, and I'd be honoured to be yours, but there are three house-elves here too. Old master sent them to the main greenhouse with orders to stay there until he called. There are no other beings here except me and the elves.

"Ah, thank you for telling me that Alice...what about pets and other animals? None of them either?"

"No Master."

"Oh good, thanks."

Harry turned back to Severus and Pemberley. "What do you suggest I do about the elves? They'll become Potter elves too once I've foreclosed I suppose, but as Montgomery told them to stay until he called them back, they won't be able to go anywhere, not until then anyway, will they?"

Severus thought for a moment and then asked the elf, "Can you take them together with the greenhouse they're in, so that they are still obeying their master's order to stay in the greenhouse? We don't want them to starve, or to be questioned by the Aurors—the man not calling for them for a couple of months might raise awkward questions or they might even be aware of what has happened here, so we'd rather not have them questioned...can you take them and the greenhouse too?

"That depends on the size of the greenhouse...no...actually, if it's very large, we could just take a portion of it. I'll need about half a dozen elves, and another half dozen to restore the site, but that'll be no problem at all. Some will be needed here anyway to extract and vanish the spilled blood while I take the body and eliminate any other evidence. I suggest Master, that his elves are not asked their opinion and we kidnap them. Later, once they become part of our family, should they ever be questioned, unlikely though that may be, they would be eager to corroborate whatever tale you or we will tell them, and if necessary, memory charms would make them believe what they say—not that they witnessed their master's death anyway, although, like the woman, they will become aware their bonds are broken."

"Yes, and they would know when they were sent to the greenhouse, when their bonds broke and probably that their master expected somebody to visit today. It is best they are not subject to any interrogation," Severus emphasised.

Harry nodded his agreement to Pemberley's suggestion, but then thought of a possible problem. "But what if somehow the Aurors do find out we were here and then question us with truth serum? They mustn't find out that Se...I stunned him."

Pemberley dismissed that possibility at once. "I promise you Master. There will be no evidence left here whatsoever, and the woman won't want to talk as her bond is already nearly broken and will have started to attach itself to you when she saw you defeat her old master and then tell her you were going to buy her."

Harry and Severus exchanged glances but said nothing, although later, when Pemberley left, Severus would reassure Harry that even though he had been the one to cast the Stunning spell that had ended in Montgomery's death, Alice's bond would regard that as being done by his owner, Harry, and therefore, if Pemberley were correct, regard him as Montgomery's vanquisher and therefore possibly her new master. However he suspected that Pemberley had made a mistake about when the bond would transfer as when Severus's first master had died and had left no will, it had not been until Malfoy was confirmed as his master's heir that the slave bond had transferred to him, meanwhile Severus had existed in a sort of bond limbo, feeling simultaneously free and yet also bereft because he lacked a master..

"In any case Master, Alice and the elves will be secretly and securely at The Kiln so even if the Aurors were to discover they existed, they would be unable to find them."

"Snape is correct Master, but allow me to make everyone forget her and that you were here at all..."

"No, that might work, but I don't like the idea much." Harry did not mention that not only was he now, after the fraudulent Gringott's goblin secret keeper incident, wary of trusting to secret keepers in general, but also that he did not yet know Pemberley enough to trust him completely either.

Pemberley was about to try and convince Harry to follow his suggestion, but Harry spoke firmly before he could say anything more. "This is what we're going to do: you take Alice and the glasshouse and elves to the Kiln and also clean up here—and don't forget to vanish the contract and IOU—if the Aurors do end up coming to Hogwarts to question Severus and me, then one of us will call you...any call from either of us from now on... or from Hermione... Hermione Granger's a friend of ours...if you get any call from any one of us, you must come at once but stay invisible and silent, and Obliviate any Aurors if we're about to be questioned, and give them a memory of having already questioned us and decided we had nothing to do with it."

"Yes Master. No problem." The bottom third of Pemberley's face was hanging open in a grin..

Severus was not so sanguine about that. "Master, please reconsider; with altered memories, sometimes the alterations are not always completely permanent, they may break down, or if a Legilimens looks at their minds, that the memory has been altered can be discovered."

Harry was staring off into the middle distance. He spoke as if thinking aloud. "No, my mind is made up. Anyway Severus, you said just now that being questioned wouldn't ever happen, so there's nothing to worry about... Anyway, if it came to the point where either of us face Azkaban or worse because the Ministry is such a shambles—I mean, if they can throw Sirius in Azkaban without a trial, then it can happen to anyone—well, then I'll have Pemberley whisk us both off to the Kiln, do his version of the Fidelius on us and we can live there as long as we have to, forever if necessary... After all, it really _was_ a complete accident, so not a crime at all, so there's no real sin in covering it up."

Severus said nothing more as Harry's mind was made up. In any case, he didn't consider them to be in any serious danger, but were he wrong, what his master proposed to do if they were threatened with Azkaban was extreme and would probably only work until Harry became bored with living away from his friends. In such an eventuality he would advise him to spend a little of his vast wealth to lubricate the wheels of justice. His time as Malfoy's possession, while a unremitting nightmare, had included an unofficial master-class in achieving results by aiming money in the right directions—but, no, this was Harry, he would be difficult, if not impossible, to convince that bribery was ever morally defensible... Still, it would be possible to convince him that it was incumbent on the rich to give large charitable donations to good causes...so long as Harry remained ignorant of what some of those causes were...no, the damn bond probably wouldn't allow...

"Come on Severus. We're going in a sec... It's not like you to be absent minded...Pemberley and Alice have already left while you were day dreaming, and he's taken Montague's body with him. He and his team will come back for the elves and to clear all the other evidence away."

"I apologise for my inattentiveness... Harry, do you intend to tell Miss Granger what has befallen here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing... if you thought I should or not I mean. What d'you think? The first thing she's going to do when she sees us is ask how the sale went."

"Our choices seem to be to either tell her the truth—which would make her vulnerable if questioned about it—or tell her that, for unknown reasons and at the last minute, Montgomery reneged on his agreement to sell Alice to you. In fact that is true, since he actually did renege, in that he had decided to take your money and keep the woman for future re-sale to you, but of course that is not the real reason you have not purchased her yet Master."

"I think we'll have to tell her he went back on our agreement, because that way she can tell whatever she thinks is the truth to any Aurors or anyone else, even under Veritaserum."

"There is one other option Harry... I have the formula for a potion, one that no-one else knows of since I developed it myself. It renders one immune to Veritaserum. Such a potion was thought to be impossible, which was fortunate as I developed it while I belonged to Lucius. On the remote chance that I might be able to do it, he once told me to work on the idea, but then a few weeks later—as he thought it impossible, it had not occurred to him that I might have already succeeded in making it—he told me 'not to worry about that immunity to Veritaserum potion' but to investigate something else. I obeyed him because I did indeed stop 'worrying about it,' since until then I'd been extremely worried about the use to which he would put it, and, obediently, I did start working on his new requirement."

Harry laughed. "Good one! If you can get around some of my more silly orders like that then please do. And congratulations on inventing an 'impossible' potion! What a shame though; it will have to remain a secret so you can't get any public recognition for it."

"Your appreciation is all the reward I require Harry." _Severus was mildly surprised to discover, Harry's appreciation, his approval, really was all he needed to make him feel, well, rather good actually._

Harry snorted. "Yes, right...a likely story! Anyway it might be very useful for us. It is undetectable I suppose?"

"Naturally. It would be useless otherwise."

Severus thought that he'd kept any trace of indignation from his voice—but apparently not, as Harry responded, "Oh, please don't look like that. I'm sorry... remember, when we were in Daigon Alley...how you said you were the one person I could never offend...well, I have now haven't I? ... A bit anyway...I do know that you would have thought of all eventualities, of course I do...I just wasn't thinking for a minute. Forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive Master, but I am grateful that you consider there is."

"This is where we could start one of our funny but long and pointless debates, about how, as you are bound to think what I say is true, that since I say you are owed an apology, then you should think that you really are owed one, but never mind, we won't get caught up in that again; we should be getting out of here anyway, and I'm anxious to get back to Hermione and tell her all the partial truths we've decided on...oh... hold on, now I get it...Gods I'm slow sometimes...I guess you chose this particular time to tell me about your 'impossible' potion to show me that we have another option—to tell her everything what happened but then dose her up on your invention so the truth serum won't work on her?"

"Yes Harry."

"Okay... So that's what we'll do. We'd better take a few doses ourselves too... Come on, let's get away from here." Both wizards walked outside the house and then Severus apparated himself and his master back to a few feet beyond the outside of Hogwarts' wards.

When in bed in his room in the Slytherin Head of House suite late that evening, Harry wondered why the death of Montgomery and their plans to cover it up had, after his initial few moments of shock, hardly seemed to have affected him at all. He certainly hadn't liked the man, well, that was a huge understatement, but surely he should have felt something? It wasn't only him though; when they'd told Hermione she hadn't seemed too upset either...well, she had at first, but once they'd convinced her that there would be nothing to tie them to his death, she had seemed to shrug the whole thing off, even more than Harry had himself.

She had however raised the point that if it was all discovered, people might think that Harry had had a mercenary motive for killing him, in that he no longer had to spend money to buy Alice, but as Severus then pointed out, the three of them plus Alice, Dobby and Pemberley were the only other people who knew they had ever intended to buy her, and not one of them would be talking, moreover Pemberley would be removing all traces of evidence even as they spoke, so discovery was highly unlikely. He had also said that although the Wizarding world's justice system was anything but just, it was known, widely known, how wealthy his master was, and that twenty or so thousand galleons was mere pocket money to him, so the motive of monetary gain was extremely weak, and even common-sense-challenged wizard-kind should be able to see that…or they would when it was forcefully pointed out to them at least.

Hermione did not say anything more, but she had not been totally convinced. It occurred to her that if their involvement in the man's death were discovered, the fact that they had covered it up would suggest that it had not been an accident,

Severus, in an uncharacteristically expansive and confiding mood, and wishing to reassure her even further, had commented to Hermione when escorting her back to Gryffindor tower, that even if somehow their involvement became known, it was unfortunately—or fortunately in this case—true that a few thousand galleons pointed in the right direction would close the mouths of most people. Hermione had nodded, and agreed, "That is very true; best not to mention that idea to Harry unless we have to though."

"Indeed. Though of course if my master asks me for my thoughts on the subject, I shall be obliged to mention it to him."

"That bond's a rotten..!"

"Indeed...but I am exceedingly fortunate in my master."

"Yes sir.. . You shouldn't have to depend on that sort of luck though! The only virtue of that sort of luck is that it slightly mitigates the underlying dreadfully bad luck."

Hermione thought of another alternative. "I could ask Harry for money on some pretext and then, if you pointed me in the right direction as to whom to bribe, do the bribing myself."

"Yes, although if I knew of it and the subject came up, if my master asked me if I knew what you wanted it for, I should have to tell him."

"No, not really, you could say that although you did know, I had asked you not to tell anyone including Harry...and just for the record and in case I forget to say it later, if that does happen then I definitely don't want you telling anyone at all why I wanted the money...and Harry being Harry, he'd then tell you not to tell him."

...


	7. Ch 6 Sara and Ginny

Interlude

SARA AND GINNY

Ginny was not a happy ten year old, no not happy at all. Her dream, her ambition, was to marry her hero, she dreamed of the whole 'happy ever after' scenario with her as the beautiful and beloved wife of a besotted-with-her Harry Potter.

At first she had felt it wrong, not fitting his perfect hero image, that Harry owned Professor Snape, but she had come to terms with that. It was not Harry's fault that he owned him, and, with a few simple mental gymnastics, she could make it fit the hero role by thinking of it as saving the professor from having to belong to some Dark wizard. Not only that, if she, sorry, _when,_ she married Harry, it might even be convenient at times; it would certainly be good that one of Hogwarts' professors would have to help her with homework and never be nasty to her as her brothers said he was to almost everyone else. She intended to marry young, certainly by her sixth year when she would be sixteen and so, obviously, grown up. Even before that, when she and Harry were officially engaged, the professor would know that she was to be his mistress in the future, and treat her accordingly. The seven or more children that she would have with Harry would also benefit when they went to Hogwarts as they would not have to fear potions lessons as did all the other students.

However, Harry having Snape was one thing, his also having a female slave as he did now, a young female at that, was something else again. Of course, Harry would be so in love with his beautiful wife that he would not notice Sara really, and thank Merlin, Sara was very plain, but still …

Ginny seldom disliked anyone, well, apart from Slytherins of course, she would probably hate them when she went to Hogwarts next year as Ron said they were all evil–though Ron was not often right about anything so probably he was wrong about that too. However, she found it very easy to dislike Sara. That Sara was never anything but nice to her somehow made it even easier to hate her. Why couldn't she have been nasty as well as ugly so Harry would not like her at all?

Harry actually seemed to be quite fond of her as he had sent her two large boxes of gifts.

Ginny's attitude to Sara had caused a scene that Molly had walked in on, having overheard the last part of a speech from Ginny " … and when Harry and I get married I'll be your mistress so you will have to obey me or I'll punish you!"

Molly had been furious "I am ashamed of you! Apologise to Sara at once."

Ginny had shaken her head in refusal. "But it's true! I will be her mistress!"

"Right. Go to your own room and wait for me or your father there, we will discuss this further my girl. You need a reality check—and after that you will apologise to Sara, you certainly will. Go now. I shall let Sara know how things really are around here."

Ginny had started to refuse again but then, seeing the look on her mother's face, gulped and flounced from the room.

Molly had taken about half an hour to comfort Sara and to explain that it was highly unlikely that Harry would marry Ginny, but even if he did, she and Arthur would make absolutely certain that Ginny treated Sara well.

When she thought Sara had calmed down she told her to have a nap or read a book until dinner time while she had a talk to Ginevra.

Actually what Ginny had said had not upset Sara as much as Molly thought it had. Sara was a realistic child and had taken it as a given that in the future Harry would marry someone, and of course that someone would then be her mistress. If it was to be Ginny then at least Sara now had a few years to show her what a good servant she would be. Better a Ginny that she knew than some strange witch who might be very cruel to her. Okay, Ginny did not seem to like her very much, but she was not deliberately cruel to her, well not very cruel anyway, and Ginny was correct; if she became Sara's mistress then Sara would have to do whatever she told her.

Meanwhile, Molly had been talking to her daughter, a daughter who seemed unrepentant and convinced that she had not been at fault, or at least, not to any fa she would admit to. Sara was going to be her slave so she would have to obey Ginny and the sooner she learned that the better, so there. After about fifteen minutes of getting nowhere Molly gave up for the moment and told Ginny to stay in her room and that she would not be eating dinner that evening.

Molly could not understand what had got into Ginny, she was usually a kind child and not the sort to bully other children, but for some reason she seemed to have taken a strong dislike to Sara. Molly intended to talk to Arthur about it, he might know what had been going on between the two girls and why Ginny was so hostile to Sara.

At dinner that evening Arthur asked "Where's Ginny?"

"She is in disgrace and in her room. I want to talk to you about it after dinner". Molly said.

Arthur, understanding that it was something Molly did not wish to discuss while Sara was present, had merely nodded his assent. After the dishes had started to wash themselves in the sink Molly asked Sara to entertain herself in her room for a while.

Sara headed for the door at once , only pausing to say "Yes Mrs Weasley. Thank you for the lovely dinner."

After regaling Arthur with the story of what she had overheard; how Ginny seemed to want to order Sara around and how she had acted when she'd been given a 'talking to', Molly had sighed and added "I can't think what has got into her. Fancy her saying that to Sara! It doesn't seem like Ginevra at all. I don't know if someone has been filling her head with fairytales or it is something she has dreamed up herself, but for some reason she seems convinced that she is going to marry Harry. Even worse, she was telling Sara how she was going to be her mistress and so had better learn to obey her now. After all our efforts to give Sara a normal home too! Would you talk to Ginny for me? She usually listens to you more than she listens to me."

Arthur has a good idea that he knew exactly what had 'got into' his daughter. He had witnessed what a crush she had on Harry, and apparently she had interpreted Sara's presence and her relationship to Harry as a threat to whatever childish romantic dreams she had about him. He did not think it very likely that Harry would end up marrying Ginny, as after all, he would be able to have the pick of almost any witch he wanted, but Arthur did not wish to shatter Ginny's dreams about him too abruptly and he knew that outright opposition would be likely to prolong Ginny's crush, it would be better for it to gradually disappear of its own accord.

On knocking at her door and then entering his daughter's room, he could see traces of tears on her glaring and defiant face. "Your mother has told me what happened and what she thinks about it, now you can tell me your ideas about it all"

Ginny gave a short but somewhat incoherent account of how she had told Sara to make her bed for her and Sara had hesitated then said that she did not have to. "So I told her how Harry and I are going to be married so she has to do what I want. Mum doesn't understand! She thinks I was being nasty to Sara by telling her she should obey me because she will have to in the future when I marry Harry. But it is true!" She then burst into tears. Arthur sat on the bed beside her and put his arm around her.

Perhaps he should tackle her conviction that she was going to marry Harry first. No, perhaps not, perhaps appeal to her better nature first. "Yes dear, _if_ you marry Harry then it is true that Sara will have to obey you. But that is no reason for her to obey you now and certainly no reason to rub her face in it, is it? Poor Sara, through no fault of her own, by an accident of birth, she was born as a slave, and then because she might have been sold to a cruel master, perhaps even to a Death Eater, she was bought by Harry to save her. Can you even begin to imagine how that must feel? To know that you can have no will of your own, that your whole life and happiness depends on the whim of your owner? She has had many sleepless nights already, probably because of worry about how Harry will treat her, and then you try to add to them by pointing out that she might have to obey you as well, and, pretty obviously, that you do not like her, and even worse that you would not be a kind mistress."

Ginny gulped and sniffed but said nothing.

"Have you thought this through dear? Harry is a very kind person, he hates bullies and anyone being unkind. He also hates the fact that he owns both Severus and Sara and that slavery exists at all, so how likely is he to love anyone who bosses Sara about? Not very likely at all I'm sure. Sara's attitude to you will show Harry exactly how you treat her when you are alone with her, so perhaps you had better think about that. Think about it, and perhaps about how you can make things better between you and Sara. In any case darling, at present there is no reason that Sara must or even should obey you. In fact I believe that Severus has told her that Harry does not wish her to obey anyone but himself, Severus, Molly and me. Even then, she is not to obey us if she thinks we give any orders of which Harry would disapprove. Harry would certainly be very annoyed with you, even angry, were he to find out that you had tried to give her an order, an order he would disapprove of too, and also a little upset with Sara if she obeyed you, though he would certainly forgive her more easily than he would forgive you.

My dear, if you wish a good man to love you, a good man who hates bullies, it is best to try to be the sort of person he admires don't you think?"

"I will leave you now. I'll ask your mother to bring you up something for supper, and then I suggest you think about what I've said and then have an early night."

"I'm not hungry!" Ginny sulked. Despite going without dinner she did not feel as if she could eat anything.

"Okay then. Goodnight dear." Arthur walked from the room leaving a still rather angry Ginny to think things over. 'I wasn't mean to her, I just told her the truth,' she thought defiantly, though a small part of her was starting to think that there might be some truth in what her father had said.

Arthur went back to the kitchen where his wife was sitting drinking a cup of tea. She waved her hand towards the table where a permanently hot teapot was muttering to itself about how the world was going to rack and ruin as hardly anyone wanted more than one cup of tea these days. Back in the days when she had belonged to Gideon, people gave tea the respect it deserved, they all drank at least two or three cups each at a sitting, usually more.

From long exposure to the old teapot both Molly and Arthur ignored it and whatever bee it had in its lid and was grumbling about this time. Arthur sat down at the table and the re-energised teapot eagerly trotted over to him, poured him a cup of tea, poked at the sugar basin to wake it up and when two sugars had been added, pushed the cup and saucer towards him. "Thanks. Good girl, good Tissy." he said, and patted her absentmindedly.

It did not do to forget to thank the teapot, after all, she was one of the main reasons Arthur had learned to distrust anything that seemed to think but which had nowhere to put its brain. As his thoughts had been on Ginny and her problems he did not realise that he had shortened Tissane's name, as she too was distracted Molly did not notice it either or she would have warned him. The teapot stamped on its eight little legs back to the other side of the table—and added Arthur to her hit list.

AN: A reader PM'd me tell me, among other things, that often when my characters said 'got' they should have said 'gotten' and that having them say 'got' made them sound very ignorant. Sorry, no, although an American would sound ignorant because the word 'gotten' is often correct in American English, it is not standard British English, i.e, not correct, in British English—even though more and more British people are starting to use the word whereas up until about ten years ago I'd never heard anyone use it—and if a child had used it the child would probably have been corrected by a parent or teacher. That people are starting to use the word these days is almost certainly due to the increasingly pervasive influence of American media. However, 'got' versus 'gotten' is still one of the many differences between American English and standard, grammatical, British English. (And even though I do hear people use it occasionally these days, whenever a character says 'gotten' in a fanfic I'm reading, I immediately think that character must be an American.)


	8. Chapter 7 Living Arrangements

When Harry had gone to Montgomery's house to buy Alice, no-one apart from Harry, Severus, Hermione and Dobby had known what he had intended to do, so, when later he would officially became Alice's owner no-one would wonder what the delay had been—or at least that's what Severus kept telling himself. He had never been quite so sanguine about their cover-up of the accidental death of Mr Montgomery as he had let Harry and Hermione believe, as he couldn't remember any elves ever being so powerful as Pemberley seemed to be nor did he completely trust him. There was something wrong about that elf apart from the obvious. Yet the days passed and no Aurors appeared and everything seemed to be proceeding as Harry had expected; nevertheless, Severus' feelings of disquiet became stronger instead of lessening. He told himself that he was worrying for nothing but couldn't shake the feeling.

...

About a week before he was to foreclose on Montgomery's house mortgage Harry asked Severus to floo-call Mr and Mrs Weasley and tell them that he intended to buy Alice and that Alice would probably live in her own room in the Slytherin Head of House suite with Severus, and that Sara would be able to visit her there. The suite was certainly big enough since the suites for the heads of houses had been designed to accommodate families for any married heads of house. In any case the Hogwarts house-elves could create extra rooms were any needed.

As the slightly Slytherin side of Harry had hoped, Molly and Arthur had immediately asked to speak to Harry himself and suggested that Alice should live with them.

"Harry dear, " Molly said to the head in the fire, "We think that Alice should live with us at the Burrow. Sara and Alice could really be together that way, and I would love to have an adult female to talk to."

"But that would put far too great a strain on your family. I don't really think it's a very good idea," he said with pretended reluctance..."oh don't look like that...okay, maybe...but only if you let me expand your house for you and pay board for her and all expenses, and not just the paltry sum you accept for Sara either."

Molly turned to consult her husband and at his accepting nod, turned again to the fireplace. "Alright dear, as long as you're sure that won't be too expensive for you."

"Well yes, I am, very sure. Look, I don't think it's any great secret that I have plenty of money, so never worry about that...and you're right, it would be nice for Sara and her mother to be together and I admit that at the moment it's not very practical for Sara to live here."

"When will she be coming?"

"About a week to ten days from now. I'll foo-call you with the date and time when its all arranged... I'll send Pemberley, he's my head elf, and a couple of others, over to get the new rooms done ... Would tomorrow be too soon for that?"

Molly and Arthur could have expanded the house themselves but house elves were experts at that sort of spell-work, so Molly was happy for them to do it for them.

"That should be fine; Arthur will be at work but I'll be here all day."

"Good. That's all settled then. They will probably arrive about eight o'clock, or eight thirty if that's better, will that be alright? ...Tell Pemberley exactly what you want and he will do it. He and his crew might have some good ideas of their own too, some good suggestions I mean."

"Thank you dear. I'll look forward to them coming—eight thirty would be best as Arthur will have finished his breakfast and left for work by then. Bye dear."

"Goodbye Mrs Weasley. Please let me know how the new rooms turn out. Bye."

Harry turned away from the fire and grinned unrepentantly at Severus. "That's all settled then. We are all happy."

Severus allowed himself a small smile. "We might make a Slytherin of you yet Master." _Well, a pale reflection of one at least._

"Thanks."

"You might have to summon Pemberley here to give him your instructions...Shall I fetch your grandfather's riding crop?"

"Well, you certainly know how to change a fellow's mood," Harry pretended to grumble. "Here I was, celebrating a minor victory, and you had to bring up the subject of Pemberley's...whatever it is...Heck! I've just had an idea...he wants a harsh master, so how about I'm really harsh and demote him from being my head elf?...well, perhaps not; I can see from your eyes that you think that's a bit unfair...I do too really...but I could threaten him with it whenever he has one of his 'won't you thrash me now for some non-existent fault please master' episodes. Don't you think that might work? Or I could give or lend him to Hermione, her kindness would horrify him."

"Master, he seems to think of himself as a Potter, a member of your family."

"Oh yes. That would be far too cruel, to throw him out of the family, almost as bad a giving him clothes... I'm just being stupid. It's not as if he is a bad elf, he's just a bit difficult to cope with at times...I might as well get it over with I suppose, and no, I do not want that riding crop thank you, and thank you so much for reminding me of it... Pemberley!"

"Master called?"

"Yes of course I did you idiotic elf. Why else would you come? I have a task for you. You're to go to the Weasleys' house tomorrow, the Burrow it's called, and create at least a couple of extra rooms for them. You can take as many elves as you need with you; choose elves who are good at planning, at space extension and building... Plan on starting at eight thirty am, as that's when I told Mrs Weasley you'd be there. Whatever they ask you to do, you're to do, but better. F'instance, if they want two rooms give them three, and the materials you use must be the best quality available. The rooms they already have might need an upgrade too. You are to treat all the Weasleys ... and Sara, with the utmost respect. I don't want to hear that you've been impertinent as you have been to me occasionally. Do you understand? Just one disrespectful word from you, or from the other elves, will mean I seriously consider clothes. Got that?"

Pemberley bowed low. "I understand Master. It shall be as you say." He was smiling.

"And don't think I won't find out if you disobey me. Severus makes excellent Veritaserum and I shall not hesitate to use it. You may go now."

Once Pemberley had popped away, Harry stood still for a moment, feeling guilty. "I over-acted didn't I?... I gave him a direct order, and he can't disobey that, so there wasn't any need to say the rest of it...oh damn, I just don't know how to deal with him."

"Master, he likes you to be severe, so there's no need to feel badly about it."

"But that's just it. I'm allowing him to make me into something I'm not."

Pemberley and four younger elves arrived the Burrow,at eight thirty am sharp. They popped into the living room where both Molly and Arthur were waiting for them, as Arthur had decided to stay home to direct what he wanted done.

Pemberley had briefed his crew earlier that morning. "Elsey, you will look after the masters at The Burrow...take notes of everything they say they want and then give me the notes. Your main duty will be to make sure they always have cups of tea and other refreshments sitting beside their should have no reason to be walking around and getting in our way. Do you understand?"

"Yes Pemberley. Tea and our _special_ cupcakes and muffins?"

"Good girl, exactly right, the _special_ ones. ... Verm and Dandy, you two are the best at space expansion and new rooms. I want your best work for this house as our master will inspect it and if it is not perfect he won't respect us..."

All of them, Pemberley included, shivered in horror at the thought of their master thinking them unskilled useless elves who were unworthy of being Potters.

Pemberley allowed them to contemplate that for a few seconds and then continued, "so you see it has to be perfect, it must be absolutely stable and permanent and beautiful too...so, Dandy, no getting into the butterbeer until everything is finished."

"As if I would! You are always confusing me with my brother Bandy, you old..." Dandy muttered, just quietly enough that Pemberley would be able to pretend not to have heard him.

Pemberley smirked inwardly. Dandy, to prove who he was, always did his best work after Pemberley pretended to confuse him with his twin.

"They will need at least one or two new bedrooms and bathrooms and a greatly expanded kitchen, but if any, or all, of the other rooms look a little small you're to expand them too.

"As for you Hambert my boy...oh do stop fiddling with your hair, it looks very pretty don't worry...what was I saying? Oh yes...I'm depending on you for the decorations. Just use Elsey's notes on what colours they like, but if you're unsure, Gryffindor red and gold will do very well as they're all from that house. It shouldn't take more than three hours to complete the whole job..."

"It won't take anywhere near that long!" Dandy protested, offended at the insult to his professionalism.

"No, I know, but I want the best work possible remember, and when you've finished the house you can do garden landscaping and extensions."

"Still won't take much more than an hour or two!" Dandy muttered, not mollified.

And indeed it didn't, approximately an hour and a half later saw a virtually new house and a newly landscaped and larger-than-before gnome-free garden. Molly and Arthur were left in somewhat of a daze, and very _happy._ They were used to things being done quickly with spells of course, but the house elves had transformed the place miraculously... And those muffins! Molly knew she just had to get the recipe...but first she needed a lie-down with her darling Arthur. Arthur was more than happy to oblige.

...

Just before breakfast one morning Harry's beautiful and distinctive owl, Hedwig, tapped on the Weasleys' new kitchen window, and Molly, who was preparing the meal, rushed to let her in. Hedwig perched on a plate rack beside the sink and held out a leg to Molly, who handed her a half rasher of bacon and in exchange took the letter she was clutching.

"Thank you Hedwig dear. I wonder what your master is writing to me about; probably something more about the arrangements for Alice's arrival," and she waved her wand to make sure the cooking continued without burning and sat at the table to read it.

Hedwig grunted softly in mild and resigned disgust. Harry her master? Pfft! Most wizards and witches were so ignorant! It was a good thing her pet had enough intelligence to know his place and who was his mistress. Still, the bacon was of excellent quality, so she would overlook it this time. She tore into the rasher, scattering almost as much around her as she was eating.

Molly read the letter.

 _Dear Mr and Mrs Weasley,_

 _I am writing to you on behalf of my master, Mr Potter. Unfortunately, the prior arrangements_ _concerning Alice which_ _we made a week ago_ _are no longer feasible, as my master's elf, Pemberley, reports that the woman is unwell, and is suffering from severe agoraphobia. She will require treatment on a ongoing basis and that would be disruptive to your household._

 _Therefore Mr_ _Potter feels that it would now be most unfair_ _,_ _to you and to your whole family, for you to board her a_ _s well as_ _Sara, as you had so kindly and generously agreed prior to this development._

 _Alice will continue to live at_ _one of_ _my master's house_ _s_ _for the foreseeable future. She is happy there and will not be further stressed by another relocation._

 _Mr Potter understands that Sara will be disappointed not to have her mother live with you as he is sure_ _Sara_ _ha_ _s_ _been eagerly anticipating, therefore he will provide transportation for_ _her_ _to stay with her_ _mother_ _on_ _alternate_ _weekend_ _s_ _, either for the whole weekend or for most of one day, wh_ _ichever_ _is Sara's preference. He hopes that she will be happy with this compromise. Please tell her that while visits_ _to her mother_ _every fortnight are not compulsory, he would like her to visit her at least once a month on averag_ _e_ _._

 _As a security measure, her transportation to and from his house will be provided by one or more of Mr Potter's house-elves._

 _To recompense you for the loss of household help that Alice would have provided, he wishes to lend you_ _,_ _on a permanent basis, one of his house-elves._ _(He would have liked to give you one, but the elves regard themselves as part of the Potter family, as Potters in fact, and do not wish to be adopted by another family.)_

 _Berry is young and enthusiastic and has been well trained in all aspects of household and garden work. The elf has informed us that he is keen to see a little more of the world than is encompassed by_ _our_ _master's estate_ _s,_ _and to meet_ _and work for_ _wizards other than my master and_ _me_ _. However, should he not prove satisfactory, perhaps due to over enthusiasm, my master would be happy to exchange him for an older and quieter elf._

 _If you wish to discuss this matter further, Mr Potter would be happy to talk to you by_ _fire_ _-call or to visit._

 _Yours Faithfully,_

 _Severus Snape_

 _Post Scriptum: Mr Potter has looked up from writing his overdue homework essay to insist that I add that you would be doing him a favour to accept the elf, and in fact if you have enough work for them, he would be even happier were you to accept_ _the loan of_ _two_ _or more elves._ _My master also sends you all his fondest regards._

Molly felt sorry for Alice. She wasn't certain what sort of phobia agoraphobia was exactly, but suspected it was merely a polite excuse because Alice didn't want to live with them. She was also disappointed as she had been looking forward to having another adult female to talk to, and also because she knew that Sara would be disappointed.

It was unfortunate that they had already told Sara of her mother's arrival; they would have kept it as a surprise but at the time it had seemed virtually a certainty and in any case, Sara had overheard them talking about it. Still it couldn't be helped; at least Sara would still be able to spend time with her mother.

She wasn't sure what to think about Harry's offer of a house-elf or elves. It smacked rather of charity... but on the other hand perhaps Harry really did have more elves than he had work for, and everyone said that idle house-elves were unhappy elves. She had always envied people who had one and it would certainly make her work around the house far lighter, perhaps even give her time to take up a couple of hobbies. She wouldn't mind having time to paint in oils again, why she could even take a course in magical portrait painting and paint all the family as heirlooms for future generations to talk to and consult. The only sentient portraits of ancestors the Prewett or Weasley families had ever owned were the property of other branches of their family..

But what if, in order to make it seem less like charity, Harry was telling a white lie about being eager to have less house-elves? That would be the sort of thing he would do. Ah well, she'd have to see what Arthur thought about it. Meanwhile she had better tell Sara the unwelcome news about Alice, oh, and send a note back with Hedwig.

She grabbed a muggle writing paper pad that Arthur had brought home—she had to admit, Arthur was right, some of these muggle inventions were so handy!—and wrote a quick note.

 _Dear Harry and Severus,_

 _Please tell Alice that we hope she is soon better. I quite understand about wanting her to remain at your home, and will tell Sara all about it._

 _Concerning your overly generous offer of a_ _loan of a_ _house-elf or elves; may I get back to you on that, probably later today? In any case, I am very very grateful for the offer!_

 _Sorry that this is just a short note, we will write more fully or_ _floo-call_ _you about it all_ _after Arthur comes home and we have talked about it._

 _Love_

 _Molly_

Molly folded the note and Hedwig took it in her beak and flew out of the open window. Molly watched her until she was out of sight and then walked upstairs as far as the first floor landing before calling, "Sara! Come down for a few minutes dear. I have something to tell you."

There was no response for a few moments which was unusual as Sara was usually very quick to respond to any summons. She called again, "Sara!"

She heard the back door open and close, and then Sara was standing at the foot of the stairs.

"Oh, there you are dear. I thought you were upstairs reading and studying as you usually are."

"I was outside Mrs Weasley, right down at the bottom of the new garden, and it took me a while to run up. I am very sorry!"

"Nonsense, you came as soon as you could, so there is no need to feel sorry," Molly replied firmly, so that Sara and her bond could not possibly think that she had been at fault. As Sara came downstairs she added, "come into the kitchen dear. Oh, your hands are filthy, hold them out dear... Scourgify!That's better. Now, I have something to tell you."

"Thank you Mrs Weasley."

"Sit down Sara. You can sit down any time you like you know."

"Yes Mrs Weasley. Thank you," and Sara sat at the table and Molly seated herself across from her.

"Unfortunately I have some news which will not please you. It is nothing really bad, so don't stress yourself, but not so good as we had hoped and expected."

Sara's thoughts immediately flew to her mother. "It's about mum isn't it?"

"Yes dear. Your mother is not well. She has developed a thing called agoraphobia...that I think means that she is afraid of something, perhaps rabbits, angora rabbits?...although why...anyway, whatever it is, Harry has decided that at least until she gets well again, Alice will be happier to stay at one of his houses, that is, stay where she is now. Don't look like that dear, it's not all bad; he has arranged for you to visit her once a fortnight and to stay for one or two days on each visit. He says that you don't have to visit her more than once a month if you don't want to though."

"Master is very kind!...and he has still rescued my mother, that's the most important thing. When you said there was not very good news about mum I was so scared that he had decided not to rescue her after all! ... But, Mrs Weasley, I think that phobia is a phobia of open spaces or places you're not used to, something like that anyway, not of rabbits.'

"Oh is it? Of course, I am so silly... I have a vague recollection of that now you've mentioned it, so I'm sure you're right. How clever of you to know dear, and that does make a lot more sense."

"Is she very ill? I do hope she is not really very ill."

"Well, Severus wrote that she has a bad case of agoraphobia but I suppose she does not feel very ill unless she goes outdoors...I think that Harry decided that she should stay at his house rather than coming here to live because that would mean she had to go outdoors or through the floo to get here, and also, and I think this is the main reason, because he thought that having her treated for her complaint while here would be a nuisance for us, would disrupt the house with all the healers' visits."

"Master is having her treated?"

"Yes dear, of course he is. Would you like to read his letter about it all? Actually it is from Professor Snape, but he only wrote what Harry asked him to write," and she extracted the letter from the murky and largely unexplored depths of her apron pocket, and handed it to her. Molly could not help but be amused at the almost reverent way Sara held and then carefully unfolded it. She watched as the girl read it through slowly, as if savouring every word, the various emotions she was experiencing plain on her face.

When Sara finished reading she carefully re-folded the letter and handed it back to Molly. "My master did not tell the professor to write when my first visit is to be. Do you think it'll be soon?"

"I'm not sure dear, however after Arthur and I have decided if we will accept Harry's offer of a house-elf or not, we will probably floo-call him, and we will ask him then."

"Oh thank you Mrs Weasley!... But... I've just thought, master will think I am being impertinent to ask a question, so perhaps we had better not..."

"He won't think anything of the sort... Anyway if remember correctly, didn't you tell me that Professor Snape told you that you could ask as many questions as you liked?"

"Yes but... that was asking the professor, not my master!"

"I'm quite sure that Harry will want you to ask him questions too, but if it will put your mind at rest, I will ask him and say it is because I need to know so I can make sure you are packed ready to go. How would that be?"

"Oh thank you. That would be perfect."

"You look as if you want to ask me something else too, come on, out with it; you can ask me anything you like too you know."

Sara still looked hesitant but at Molly's encouraging smile she said, "Please, I know it's not my business at all, but do you think you will get the elves? I really like house-elves, they're good fun and very kind and friendly and very very handy; just look at The Burrow now!"

Molly was impressed that's Sara had dared ask about something she thought she had no business knowing. Perhaps they were making marginal advances in getting her to relax, after all.

"Good girl Sara! That took a lot of courage to ask me, I am most impressed and pleased... Molly went on, "but to answer your question, yes I do think it possible that we will have an elf, probably not two though. However I have to talk about it with Arthur and see what he thinks. When we decide I will tell you."

"My master said he would like you to have two or even more... and they are happier when they are together too."

Molly laughed, "We'll see. I think there might be a slight touch of Slytherin in you after all."

Sara looked worried.

"What are you worried about now dear?"

"My master is in Gryffindor, he might be angry with me if I'm a Slytherin! But that's if he lets me go to Hogwarts at all of course."

"Now if your master were my son Ron, that might be a genuine worry for you, but he's not; Harry is not prejudiced like Ron. Harry doesn't take much notice of labels does he? He wouldn't like professor Snape otherwise, as he was not only sorted into Slytherin at school, he is now Head of Slytherin House; you can hardly get more Slytherin than that, and Harry does like him; he likes him quite a lot, that's quite obvious to anyone who sees them together and from the way Harry talks to him and about him."

Sara looked much happier. "I'd forgotten that for the moment. Miss Ginny told me the professor was a Slytherin, so master mustn't mind that very much; so even if I am one too, he probably won't be angry... Mrs Weasley, may I ask you another question too? Actually I think I asked you once before, and I did ask Professor Snape, but I'd still like to ask again." She looked 'puppy dog eyes' up at Molly.

Molly smiled, amused. "Yes, you may ask another question. What do you wish to know?"

"Do you really and truly think I will be allowed to go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes I do. Well, so long as you understand that what I think is just that, just my opinion, and that I may have completely the wrong impression about what Harry may be thinking or intend, then yes, I do think that it is very likely that Harry will let you go to Hogwarts. It is very expensive as I may have said before, but just between you and me, your master is rich, I suspect very rich, so the expense might not be of much concern to him. Some rich people are also some of the meanest people on the planet, but some are generous with their wealth, and Harry is definitely one of the generous ones. Of course, you have to get a Hogwarts' acceptance letter first, but there won't be any problem there, as you've had several incidents of accidental magic even in the short while since you got here... You know, you could always ask Harry if he means to let you go, then you won't have to keep asking me and you'll know for certain."

"Oh no, no, I'd rather not, thank you. Professor Snape said he thought our master would send me to Hogwarts and he said that even if he didn't let me, he would let me learn things at home."

"Exactly. He certainly wants you to learn or he would not have given you all those books would he?"

"Er, no, but, about the Hogwarts letter, perhaps there are other things apart from being magical that affect if slaves get letters or not?"

"I'm not sure dear. I will find out for you if you like, but remember, Severus went to Hogwarts, so it's certainly possible, whatever extra rules and regulations there may be."

...

Ten days later, it was a Thursday, and it had been arranged that Sara's first visit to her mother would be the coming weekend. Hedwig, had arrived on the Monday with a small parcel, and a short letter written by Harry himself asking if she wanted to go on the coming weekend. The parcel had expanded to form a small but bottomless overnight bag.

After receiving the letter and asking Molly if the next weekend would be alright, Sara had written back to Harry to say that the weekend would be ideal and to thank him for the overnight bag and for writing to her. She had read over her letter to him, and then re-read it several times, to make sure there were no spelling mistakes and that it sounded respectful and grateful, and she had then asked Molly to check it too.

Molly had handed back the letter to her saying, "It is a very nice letter dear, and you have written it beautifully...but...it is very formal... and perhaps the expressions of gratitude are a little excessive? Harry's letter to you was anything but formal, so don't you think yours should be informal too?"

"It has to be like that Mrs Weasley. My master can write how he likes of course, but I have to be formal unless he gives me permission not to be, and I must show my gratitude for the overnight bag."

"But dear, he has given you permission to write in an informal manner by writing to you in the way he has. Surely he will expect the same sort of letter back."

Sara felt agitated; she did not want to contradict the person her master had put in charge of her, but she was certain that her letter had to be worded formally, and her gratitude not only for the bag but also for his condescension in writing to her personally this time instead of just telling Severus to do it, had to be fully expressed.

"I'm sorry Mrs Weasley. May I leave it as it is please? If my master tells me it was too formal then next time I will write the letter differently."

Molly sighed. "If you need his express order before you can write in a more relaxed way, then of course you can leave it like it is. Don't get upset dear, I didn't mean to upset you, and it is a very nice and polite letter,"— _and next time I have a chance to talk to Severus or Harry I'll ask just how Sara should write to them. Actually Harry might be the best person to ask as Severus himself_ _is_ _very formal in his manners, especially with those he use_ _s_ _with Harry. When talking to Harry, Severus' formality_ _sometimes_ _had the additional element of humility, even servility, that was_ _al_ _so typical of Sara's manners._

By Thursday morning Sara had already packed and unpacked two or three times, much to Ginny's not very well hidden amusement.

"Don't tell me you're packing again Sara!... Anyway, stop that for a bit; look what Ron's just given me . . . two bottles of butter-beer and about a quarter of a bottle of firewiskey. Let's have a little party."

"Are you sure you didn't just find them hidden in his room?"

"No, Ron really did give them to me, after a bit of gentle persuasion, well gentle sibling blackmail...I told him what I saw him do in Dad's shed and how Mum and Dad would love to know."

"Gosh! What on Earth did he do?"

"I've absolutely no idea, but he must've done something or he wouldn't've given me the butter-beer to keep me quiet."

Sara laughed. "Oh Ginny, that's priceless. Aren't you scared he'll find out you tricked him?"

"Nah, if he's stupid enough not to ask me exactly what I saw before handing over the booze, he's also too stupid to find out I tricked him."

"But he's not really stupid, he's awfully good at chess and you have to have a clever brain and a good memory to play chess as well as he does."

"Yeah, but his grey cells have all gathered together in the special chess area of his brain which leaves all the other areas almost completely vacant."

"Except for a few in the Quidditch area."

"That's our Ron. Anyway, forget him, leave your packing for half an hour and have a drink. The butter-beer isn't really alcoholic, well only very slightly alcoholic, and you don't have to have any of the firewiskey if you don't want to. I want most of it anyway."

As she had been talking Ginny had opened one of the butterbeer bottles and she poured a glassful into one of the two tumblers she'd brought with her into Sara's room, and handed it to her.

"Here you are, compliments of the so-generous Ronald Weasley."

"Thanks." Sara sat down on her bed and started to sip at her drink, then stopped and looked at it suspiciously. "This tastes as if it's alcoholic, are you sure it's not?"

"Pretty sure. If you haven't ever had alcohol how do you know what it tastes like?"

"Oh, right. I suppose I'm just not used to the taste of it. I like it though."

Ginny flopped down beside her and started to drink some of the firewiskey straight from the bottle. Then she poured herself a glass of the butterbeer and added a dash of firewiskey to it. She looked at the pile of clothes Sara had been packing.

"Why all the drama, and why pack so often and so early? You're only going for two days and one night, not a month, and if you leave your packing until Friday night you won't have to keep taking things out again to wear. Anyway, you probably won't need that heavy cloak as I'm sure his house will be well heated."

"But what if I'm allowed to go out into the gardens? I'll need it then,"

"Not really, what about warming charms?"

"How can I use those? I don't have a wand and no-one can use the magic until they grow up anyway."

"Elves Sara, elves! I overheard you talking to mum; Harry must have lots of elves if he wants to give or lend us two of them... Why, I bet he has dozens and dozens, or hundreds even. They can cast a warming charm for you..." She grinned. "Anyway, for the famous hero Harry Potter, they probably've put climate control spells over his garden so there's never any winter, yes... and so that it never rains in the day time, only at night...so you won't need an umbrella, or a cloak...and if it gets hot, all you'll need to do is say 'shade me' and there'll be shade just hovering over you exactly where you want it, so you won't need a sunshade or parasol...Why, you won't really need any clothes at all and you'll be running around, indoors and out, stark naked, and so all you'll need to pack is a toothbrush. Heck, I bet they have dozens of spare toothbrushes for visitors too, so I have no idea at all why Harry sent you the overnight bag." Both girls giggled.

"And I won't need to take any books to read because there'll be a ginormous library with every book ever written in it."

"Exactly! And that means it will have all the story books about The Boy Who Lived too, and you'll be able to read all about how he killed thirteen dragons and three hippogriffs with just one wandless and silent spell, when he was still only two years old!"

"Well to be fair, that's probably a little bit of an exaggeration; in that story I think he was nearly three and a half years old, and it was probably only eleven dragons and two hippogriffs...but you've gotta admit, even so, my master is pretty darn awesome!"

"Some of those books really are almost that stupid. Have you read the one about where he defeated a whole pack of rogue werewolves who were killing all the first-born sons in a muggle village—why just the first born ones I don't know—and dragging all the young witches into the forest and then doing something 'unmentionable' to them. And he killed all the werewolves by just staring at them with his green eyes and using a spell...I can't remember what spell it was, Legi something... anyway it showed them them how bad they were and when they realised that, then they just turned their toes up and died ... That was one of my favourites, though I wish they'd said exactly what the 'unmentionable' thing the wolves were doing to the girls actually was."

"How could they if it was unmentionable?"

"Very funny. You might be right though. Probably you have to be one of those special Aurors who are called the Unspeakables before you are allowed to mention something unmentionable."

"Are there really some called Unspeakables?"

"Yes, there really are. Though it doesn't mean they can speak about unspeakable things, it means sort of the opposite; that what they do for their work they mustn't speak about. . . Anyway, about the 'unmentionable' thing the werewolves did, I asked Mum what it was, but she said she'd tell me when I was older... So I asked Charlie, and he said they would have bitten them to turn them into werewolves too, but I knew it couldn't be that, because then The Boy Who Can Do Everything would have had to kill them too, and the story said they lived happily in the village after all the werewolves were killed."

"So you didn't ever find out what the werewolves had done?"

No. Well, I thought about asking the twins what it was, but you know what they're like, they'd never tell me what it really was, they'd only make up some story that it's just something about having sex or something like that, and expect me to believe it."

"Too true; they're never serious about anything."

"Anyway, if I ever do find out what it was, I'll let you know."

"Thanks. Anyway, I'd better get back to finish packing, 'cos despite all the imaginative stories about The Boy Who Lived, I don't really think my master would like me to run around his house with no clothes on, and I'm absolutely certain my mother would think. . .my mother. . . I'm really nervous, I haven't seen her for so long. . . I shouldn't be nervous about meeting my own mother should I?. . . I don't even know why I am."

"Was she awful to you? I know some mothers aren't softies like mine."

"No! Not awful, not at all. She's was... is... really nice . . . Not like your mother though, of course she's not. . . Mum had to be pretty strict with me to teach me to be very obedient, but she loved me...I'm being stupid...just tell me what you think I should take and I'll pack it, you probably know better than I do, I've never had so many different clothes before."

"Ignore everything I said before. The bag's bottomless and Mum can put a featherlight charm on it for you, so, just shove it all in and then you'll be sure to have everything you could possibly need. But wait 'til at least Friday night, you can do it all in five minutes."

"Okay. What do you want to do now? Do you want to play Exploding Snap?"

"No, I'd rather..."

"Ginny... What if my master is there?"

"At his house? So what if he is? Actually I expect he will be, at some stage anyway, because I don't think he has to spend all of his holiday with his revolting relatives any more. You don't have to be so scared of Harry; he won't hurt you, he's really nice, really kind. . .look I even know a bit about how you have to be super obedient or you get into a lot of trouble... but that's not his fault, I bet he hates that part."

Sara took yet another mouthful of her drink, it was a good thing it wasn't very alcoholic as it was almost gone already. Ginny was so nice these days, it was almost like having a friend. "You know, most masters don't mind that the bonds try to make them punish us, they like it, just like my old master did. Mum used to say that they'd do it anyway even if our bonds didn't insist on it. She's had a really hard life; she belonged to a very cruel family when she was young and they were much worse even than Mr Montgomery. When she was about twelve Mr Montgomery inherited her and so he was her master when she had me. I was lucky she didn't still belong to her first owners as they would have done a lot worse things to me than he did. He did like to punish us a lot, especially Mum, but he didn't do it so much to me because he didn't want to leave any marks on me or...I shouldn't be telling you all this...I don't know why I am. Are you absolutely certain butterbeer isn't alcoholic?" she asked, holding up her glass and frowning at it suspiciously.

Ginny shook her head, "No, it's not alcoholic...but Harry is not like that at all so you don't have to worry. Here have another drink," and Ginny poured more butterbeer into Sara's glass and then added, "do you want a splash of firewiskey in it this time? Go on, it won't hurt you. It tastes pretty gross but it makes the butterbeer a little bit alcoholic...Ron has shown me a sobering charm so we can use that later if it affects us."

"Perhaps I'd better not...well, okay, if you're sure... Thanks"

"I know my master isn't like that at all, and I'm not scared of him...well, not very scared, not terrified, not like I was of Mr Montgomery, and I know he's very kind. Professor Snape says he is very good to him too. I think he thinks like I do, that our master is the best one ever, but master still makes me so nervous. What if he doesn't like me when he gets to know me?"

"But he will. Listen, I admit that I didn't like you much when you first came here, but now I've got to know you I do. You're still a frightened little rabbit, we haven't cured you of that yet, but you're a very nice frightened little rabbit. . .much nicer than I am actually...I know I'm not always nice to you, I do try to be, but something in me is a jealous cat and the cat comes out sometimes. I'm sorry, but I can't promise never to be like that again, because I know I will be, but I will try to be better though. Anyway, Harry will like you too when he gets to know you, and unlike me, he'll be nice to you all the time."

"But, but, why would you be jealous of me? That doesn't make any sense."

"Hmm, unfortunately it's no secret that I really _really_ like Harry, and you will always be around him. I expect that when you grow up you'll go to live with him, so he might fall in love with you, so I'm jealous in advance if you know what I mean, and sometimes I feel it more than at others. Anyway, let's not talk about that.

I was trying to explain why you don't have to be nervous about meeting Harry at his house. The thing is, I don't think you've met him more than a couple of times, and for only for a short while each time, have you? That's probably why you're nervous, but once you get to know him you won't be nervous any more."

"Well, I hope you're right. He'll think I'm an idiot if I'm too nervous to talk to him without stuttering or my mind going blank."

"I'll tell you a secret, well it's not a secret, much as I wish it was, as far too many people saw it, but you probably don't know it. When I first met Harry I hid behind my mother I was so shy and when he came here I turned red and ran away upstairs. He's never teased me about it and eventually I got used to him and now I can talk to him as if he was just anyone else. The same thing will happen to you, at least once you realise he's not really the imaginary wonder hero in all the books and get familiar with the real Harry, it will."

"Maybe, but what you were saying before isn't right. Masters don't fall in love with their slaves, they just don't, so master won't with me, so you needn't ever be jealous about that. Besides, you'll be his wife so he'll love you."

"Yes I will be, though sometimes I wonder...well...yes, I know I always _say_ I will be his wife, but that's just me being optimistic. But why are you so sure that masters don't fall in love with slaves? I bet they often do."

"They might do with other people's slaves I suppose, but not with their own."

"Why not? What's the difference between their own and someone else's?"

"It's like this; you know how you say the professor is very different with our master than he is with everyone else? How with everyone else he is opinionated and sarcastic and has, what did Mr Weasley call it? A

'caustic wit?' but with our master he hardly ever ventures an opinion except as a mild suggestion, and usually just agrees with everything master says?"

"Yes of course I know; it was me who told you, you silly twerp, but what has that got to do with why they don't fall in love with their own slaves and why I won't ever have to be jealous of you?"

"They don't fall for us because we have to agree with whatever our master says, and that's boring. Not only agree with just words but really agree, we just find we do. Were master to say something I know is not true, like 'grass is red' for instance, at first I might just say 'yes master' as my bond would make me do, but then I'd probably find that the grass would start to look less green, sort of red around the edges, and then after perhaps a day, or even a week if it was something really ridiculous, it might start to really look red to me, I'd have to make a real effort to know it was really green...okay, that's an exaggeration, but not so much of one as you might think...we must behave like that and that means that we have no personality around our masters and so they have no reason to ever fall for us. Well, if I was beautiful master might like me, but he'd be bored with me after a while, and anyway, I'm not even pretty.

"You are free to say whatever you like to my master, even to do something to him, like throw something at him if you wanted to, you are free to show all of yourself but we can't. Also you can make men want you just because they can't have you, or think they can't, but we can't do that, our masters know they can have us anytime they want. They might get fond of us I suppose, but I am pretty sure they don't ever fall in love with us."

"Who told you all that? Your mum?"

"No, I just worked it out for myself."

"You are a very _cynical_ frightened little rabbit aren't you?—and perhaps you're wrong. You're far too young to be this cynical!"

"I don't think I'm wrong."

"Well, you wouldn't would you?"

They sat there quietly for a few minutes and then Ginny poured them both another butterbeer with a splash or two of firewiskey.

Ginny had been loosened up enough for her to ask a few more personal questions. "Do you _really_ have to be quite so obedient and, well, slavish? Can't you try and behave more normally, sort of bit by bit? I mean gradually work up to it, so your bond gradually gets used to it?"

"Nope."

"What? That's it? Just no? Don't you want to even try?"

"It's not like you think. Perhaps if I did that without being aware I was doing it, then that might work I suppose, but if I even think about doing that as a plan to follow, then I would know what I intended to do, so the bond would too, and it would react at once, because it would see that me trying to behave like that as contrary to how the original creators of the bonding spell wanted the slaves to behave."

"React? What would it do?"

"Give me warnings that I need to change my mind and forget about what I'd intended to try and do. Look, you say the professor behaves with our master like he does and yet is so different, so unlike a slave with other people, so don't you think that if anyone could have found a way to get around the bond, then he would have? It just can't be done, it's best to just accept it and not make yourself unhappy all the time by keeping wishing for something that won't ever change."

Ginny sighed. "Well, okay, I can see that I suppose...but you are like that with us too, though not nearly so much as with you would be with Harry I guess, and you're not so bad as you used to be with us either, but you still act as if we want you to be our servant, and we don't... Anyway, even if we did, you aren't our servant, so why aren't you like the professor and act normally with us? For instance, why do you still call Mum and Dad, Mr and Mrs Weasley, when they have asked you to call them aunt and uncle? Heck, you still sometimes call me Miss Ginny and you know how much I _like_ that."

Sara frowned, puzzled, "You like it? I thought you said you didn't like it?"

"It's called sarcasm or irony or something, I'm not sure which, you idiot, - that's when you say the opposite of what you mean, of course I don't like it!"

"Oh. Sorry. Anyway, I don't often call you Miss Ginny, only when I forget sometimes, and I can't call your mum and dad, aunt and uncle as the bond won't let me... well, I could but when I try it makes me feel very uncomfortable and then I start getting a few warning pains, not bad ones though. I think it's because my master has put them in charge of me so the bond interprets that as them being... it's hard to describe, not my master and mistress exactly, but acting master and mistress. I don't have to call them master and mistress because they are not, but I still have to be very respectful... and I have to be almost as respectful to you and your brothers as you're so closely related to Mr and Mrs Weasley."

"Oh, I see, sort of. . . Are those warning pains the worst thing the bond does to you?"

"No, if it really wanted to punish me it would ...well, my mum says it can be worse than the cruatius."

"Gods that's awful! Worse than the cruatius? How can anything be worse than that? How can you be so calm about it? I'd be screaming in anger and frustration!"

Sara smiled, "And then your bond would punish you for that... I'm calm because I have to be and because it's how it is. I can't change it. I am very scared of what my bond can do to me, and I'm very scared of what my master can do too, and that is why I act like I do, but I know that if I try to behave properly and also if my master punishes me when I'm really bad, then I can avoid almost all the bond's punishments."

"Oh gods Sara! I wouldn't be you for anything."

"It's not so bad really Ginny, no really it isn't... I'm very lucky to have such an unusual master... I once heard my Mum say that she hadn't ever known, or even heard of, any slave who wasn't terrified of its master, but already I'm not terrified of mine, and the professor isn't terrified of him either, so, that just shows you how unusual he is. I am a bit scared of him of course, quite a bit really, but I'm definitely not completely terrified."

"Ginny! Sara!" Molly's voice, greatly amplified by a Sonorus, burst into the bedroom and echoed off the walls and bounced around the chamber. "Come down now dears, it's time to lay the table for tea! Your father will be home soon!"

Both girls clapped their hands over their ears. "I keep telling Mum that she doesn't have to shout when she uses that charm, but does she listen? No!" Ginny complained, not for the first time. . . "Anyway, we'd better go down. It's a wonder she didn't call us before now... Sara?"

Sara had started to walk to the door, but she then turned to look back at Ginny. "Yes?"

"Have a couple of mouthfuls of this," and she held out a small green phial. "It'll take away the smell of the firewiskey. It also sobers you up...even though we're not drunk really of course."

"Thank you." Sara took a large mouthful and then another–she was not as certain as Ginny seemed to be that they hadn't been affected by the alcohol—and then handed it back, and Ginny took several sips of the potion as they walked downstairs, before putting it back in her pocket and assuming an innocent expression as they got to the kitchen.

"You know Mum, if we got one of those elves you wouldn't have to get us to do so much housework all the time."

Molly snorted. "Don't make me laugh. As if you do more than a few minutes everyday! All I ever insist you do is make you make your own beds and lay the table for meals and wash up occasionally. If we got an elf you'd become even lazier."

Sara was keen for them to get at least one elf, preferably two. Elves were great, and they were the only people who really understood people like her, so to mitigate the effect of Ginny's unfortunate complaint about housework, she said earnestly, "But we could still do that Mrs Weasley, so Miss Ginny wouldn't get spoiled at all. The elves could just do the heavier things to take the load off you, and they could even do all the repairs or even make even more new rooms and things. You'd love having them I'm sure."

"You are really keen for me to accept Harry's offer aren't you? I promise I will really give it unbiased consideration, and so will Arthur."

Both Molly and Ginny were surprised at Sara giving unasked for opinion, and quite forcefully too, it was something they couldn't remember her ever having done before.

But they were not nearly so surprised as Sara was herself, and she waited apprehensively for at least a twinge from her bond... but it did nothing. Perhaps the professor knew something when he treated free wizards as if he were almost their equal, and she could relax her guard a bit. She grinned at Ginny, and Ginny responded with a thumbs up and a pleased nod.

A couple of days later—it was Saturday and a few moments after Sara had left to visit her mother—Ginny was was talking to her mother, and the topic of Sara came up. She told Molly some of what Sara had told her about her and her mother's life, a very summarised version, and then said, "Actually Sara's starting to make me feel a bit inadequate," she half joked. "I'm finding it hard to believe she is only about nine or ten, she seems so accepting, so, I don't know ... resigned is not quite the right word; it's more like she's known all this stuff for years and has long ago decided to make the best of it. I'm not sure if that's wrong and she should be raging against it all, I certainly would be I think, or if is very mature of her to accept the inevitable... What you and Dad told me that day after I'd been pretty horrible to her, I understand it even better now, and it really do like her." _Well, most of the time_ _I do_ _._

Molly sighed, "It's sad, but yes, Severus insisted that it's best for her to accept what she is and the bond and laws governing slaves, and try and enjoy her life anyway, and he should know I suppose. Children who have difficult childhoods are often...somebody told me once that children who had spent their childhoods being scared, hiding from adults and also eavesdropping on their conversations, as I think Sara probably did, tend to grow up very quickly. They try to learn all they possibly can about their world, about how best to survive it."

...

...

In the company of two smartly uniformed and rather self-important house-elves, Sara had travelled to Harry's house, his main seat. When she and the elves arrived at Potters' Kiln they found themselves standing in front of the main door and Sara was concerned about the propriety of their being there. The two elves were standing still and staring at the door and she tugged on the sleeve of one of them, "Ferble, why are we here? We shouldn't be here; we must go around the back to the servants' entrance!"

Ferble shook his head. "Nah Missy. It's alright. We is practicin' for when master comes, ain't we Catkin?"

"We gotta get it right for 'im," the other elf agreed.

"Oh, as long as you're sure it's alright."

A thick, black, metal grille that Sara hadn't noticed until that moment because it was the same colour as the huge oak double-door behind it, silently slid upward and out of sight.

Ferble and Catkin both nodded in satisfaction. "Took alotta gettin' right that did," Ferble informed her. "The silencin' charms as you wizards'ud call 'em, kept interferin' with the newfangled portcullis mechanism. Course that wuz about seven 'undred year ago when that was put in, in the time of me great great great granddad. It 'asn't 'ad any use since master's grandfather lived ´ere, so we 'ad to test it out."

He watched the door anxiously. For a moment or two nothing happened but then it too opened, each half groaning as it slowly and ponderously opened inward. Ferble grinned. "Makes a lovely noise don't it?"

Sara was confused. "Er, why isn't there a silencing charm on the door as well as on the, what was it called, oh yes, portcullis?"

Ferble looked around at her, confused in his turn. "It's the ambience ain't it? Gotta 'ave the right atmosphere!"

"Well then, why not let the portcullis groan as well?"

"'Ow ever 'eard of a groanin' porticullis?" Ferble scoffed at the stupid human, and would have said more except that at that moment the door became open enough to reveal what seemed like whole phalanx of elven retainers waiting to welcome them.

Pemberley, although as Harry's head elf he had felt it beneath him to personally welcome a mere slave, had deigned to do so because he could explain it to himself, and to any of his subordinates who were bold and impertinent enough to question him about it, as being because he had to oversee the rehearsal for Harry's long-overdue arrival and welcome. Actually, it was mainly that having been involved in the planning and execution of Alice's rescue, he found himself interested in the girl whose pining for her mother had helped motivate that rescue.

As Sara and her two companions walked in he stepped forward. "Sara, welcome to Potters's Kiln. My name is Pemberley, and I am our master's Head Elf. As these two have no doubt told you, we are practicing the welcome for when our master, at last, _deigns_ to visit his main house."

Sara thought she heard a distinct note of anger or disapproval in Pemberley's voice when he mentioned their master. If that was so, then he was a very strange elf, and she didn't quite know how to respond to him. Perhaps she had only imagined it.

However he continued to talk. "Girl, for the purposes of this exercise you will pretend to be our master, and the staff will all welcome you one by one. Some of the younger ones have never had to greet their master and need the practice," he ordered her.

"Hold your chin and nose up higher girl, much higher, and try to look down your nose more... No, no, you look more like a skivvy than a snooty wizard elf-owner." He put his hand under her chin, forcing it upwards.

"But Master Harry isn't like that I'm sure! He's not at all!"

"No, I know he's not tall, more's the pity.. He could do with a few extra inches."

"Oh, now you're being a nasty... and I didn't say he wasn't tall, I said that he wasn't proud and snooty _at all."_

"No, he doesn't act like a proper master most of the time—but he will once I've taken him in hand and trained him up; even now he's showing promise. Now stop looking so offended and, well, no, actually, keep it, your offended look is much like the snooty one I want, so see if you can keep it like that."

Sara shrugged away from him and walked over to the first of the waiting elves, who was a tiny but matronly figure . "Hello, I'm Sara, but, as you probably know, I am acting the part of our master for the moment. So... hello, what is your name? Are you the housekeeper?"

The elf bobbed a curtsey. "Yes Master Harry Potter sir. We is so happy to see you at last!"

"As am I to see you. Could you walk along with me and introduce me to everyone please?"

"Oh yes Master Harry." The elf turned to the one next to her."This be Gimble, he be head gardener..."

They made their way slowly along the long line of elves. Sara doing her best to act how she thought her master would really behave if he were meeting all his elves for the first time, that is, friendly, approachable and not at all condescending.

Pemberley was not impressed. The girl didn't know how to act like a proper master at all, which was not surprising he supposed, but it meant that the value of the exercise was diminished; in fact, with the way she was behaving, the silly chit would undo all the preparatory lectures to which he'd subjected everyone.

He walked over to where she was talking to a young mother to be.

"That's enough... " he waved a hand, "everyone back to work..." He turned to Sara. "You'd better come and meet your mother girl. You're useless as an actor."

Sara disliked this elf. He offended her. It had not offended her that he called her 'girl' and had spoken to her as he had, as he was the

Head Elf, nor did she think it improper that he wished for a proud and arrogant master, that was understandable as probably that was the sort of master he had been used to, no, what she could neither understand nor condone, what did offend her, was that apparently he intended to try and change their master into the sort of master he wanted.

A master was whatever he happened to be, it was not an elf's place to try and change him. Added to that, how he'd spoken of their master was disgusting. He had no respect! His whole attitude was so wrong, so very wrong. That such a disrespectful elf was Head Elf was disquieting. Master would chop his head off if he knew how disrespectful he was...well, no, he probably wouldn't, he was too kind to do that, he'd probably just punish him or tell him to punish himself, or even just ignore it, but any other master, or at least any other master who owned lots of elves, would have done ... and, she smiled to herself, if Pemberley had already had the master he wished for, the master he so impertinently, wanted to train his master to be, then that master certainly would have cut his head off, as he deserved.

She didn't like telling tales or getting anyone into trouble, but Pemberley was so bad an elf that perhaps she should tell Professor Snape about him, and leave it up to him if their master should be told what this Pemberley was really like.

As Sara had been thinking about what she considered to be Pemberley's shocking failings, he had been leading her up the wide staircase and to a suite of rooms on the third floor. Sara wondered why he seemed to be stopping there, as they hadn't got to the servants' quarters in the attics yet.

Pemberley turned towards her, smirked at her expression, and then knocked perfunctorily on the door of the suite. When it opened, a much taller than usual female elf with a full head of wiry black hair, black eyebrows and small, for a house-elf, grey eyes, poked her head around it, smiling. "You is Miss Sara?"

"Yes I is...I mean, I am."

"Yours mummy waiting." She then turned to Pemberley and spoke in a low toned aside, "You're not needed here Pemberley. Go back downstairs immediately; I'll look after them both now."

Pemberley looked distinctly ill at ease. "Yes, of course, at once. Thank you Fitzy... Would you like me to..."

"No, off with you. I'll call you if I need you. Now get going."

She smiled again at Sara and then, bowing, stood aside for her to walk through the door

Sara saw that Pemberley was in awe of Fitzy, so she was prepared to approve of the tall elf, but on seeing her mother, she forgot both elves and rushed forward. Alice stood up from the armchair in which she'd been resting and looked anxiously at her daughter, searching for any signs that Sara had been mistreated. Sara smiled widely and rushed forward, coming to a stop a couple of feet away from her. "Mummy!"

I


	9. Chapter 8 Fudge

AN. Re missing chapter: I mucked up the chapter heading when I posted the last chapter; it should have been labelled 'Ch7 Living Arrangements' , not 'chapter 8'. As I cannot seem to edit the heading, well, not without deleting the whole chapter and then uploading it again, I shall leave that as it is, but upload this one as Chapter 8b Interlude 2.

Warning: ridiculously overpowered elf and Harry. Sorry.

This takes place sometime after Percy works for the Ministry.i.e. In Harry's third year, he would be 13 and Sara 9 or ten, say ten.

…..

Chapter summary: Sara is assaulted. Percy Weasley is discombobulated. Minister Fudge fudges. Pemberley is over-used once again–and is as over-powered as ever, or thinks he is at least—and Harry shows more evidence of his growing obsession with saving and caring for people and also proves himself to be ridiculously powerful. Other clichés are also scattered here and there throughout the chapter, as usual.

(Later on, when confronted, Voldemort's unprecedented magical power may almost be matched, although he also has vast experience, which Harry completely lacks. More about Voldemort later.)

...

Harry was in Binn's History of Magic class, that is to say, playing Hangman with Ron, when he felt his ring warm up. Something was wrong with Sara. He paused for a moment, expecting Sara to appear before him but nothing happened except that his ring got even warmer. He stood up.

"Ron, Hermione, something's wrong with Sara, but I'm not sure what. I have to go to her. Take my books back for me?"

"Yes, of course, but Harry, be careful. Get the professor, and we should come too." She turned to Ron for confirmation, and he nodded.

"I thought you said her ring would bring her here if anything happened?"

"Yes, it should, but it hasn't. Something's wrong. I've got to go... Oh there you are Professor, your ring heated up too?" Severus had just come through the door and he nodded to his master. "The prof and I will find out what's happening. You two wait here."

"Harry! No!"

"Yes. We have to do this alone. I'll be back."

All four of them were the cynosure of all eyes in the room, of everyone who was awake that is, except Professor Binns who was still lecturing, not having noticed anything at all.

This was the most interesting History of Magic class any of them had had for a while—not that that meant much, given the stultifying boredom of almost every previous class.

Everyone knew that Snape was a slave but they had not often seen Harry and Snape together, and most of them were eagerly waiting to hear the humiliating word 'master' come out of 'the greasy git's' mouth.

They were disappointed; both Harry and Snape had rushed out the door before either of them said anything to each other.

Once outside and in the corridor Harry spoke. "You feel it too. Why isn't she here?"

"I have no idea Harry. Do we go to her?"

Harry nodded. They ran out of the castle and through the gate, rushing to get beyond the anti-Apparition wards.

"When we get there, do whatever you think best without asking me; we might not have time to talk."

Severus held out his arms. Harry stepped into them, put his arms around Severus' waist and held on tightly.

They appeared in the Burrow's lounge room. Percy was standing to one side and looking flushed and agitated. In the centre of the room Minister Fudge had one arm around Sara and the other was pulling at her already ripped blouse. Sara was just standing still, eyes glazed, unresisting.

The Minister turned towards them, saw Harry's face, smiled and started to say something but Severus cast a stunner at him and he slumped to the floor.

"Oh thank the gods you're here!" Percy gasped out. "But...bu...what have you done? That's Minister Fudge!...but I think he's gone completely mad. He Imperiused her! What'll we do now? You stunned the Minister!"

Percy was in shock, his mind whirling; his precious Minister had cast an Unforgivable and attacked a witch. He automatically, instinctively, looked to the wizard who until recently had been his professor, to be told what he should do.

Harry too turned to Severus, gesturing towards Sara. "Can you lift it?"

Severus inclined his head. "Yes Master," and cast 'Finite Incantatem' on the glaze-eyed girl, who promptly sank to the floor crying and saying, as far as they could make out, "Sorry, sorry Master. I just put my fingers on the ring when he. . . sorry, I'm sorry !"

"That's alright Sara. It wasn't your fault you couldn't use the ring properly. You did your best and it did register that

you were in trouble. Don't worry at all; just relax, you're safe now and I'll see you soon," Harry said, awkwardly patting her shoulder and then helping her to stand up.

He turned to Severus. "Take her to Madam Pomfrey please and after she's comfortable come back here. I want to talk to Percy," he ordered, and then turned again to Percy as his servant Side-along Apparated Sara away.

"You look pretty shaken up Perce. You'd better sit down...or do you want to go to Polly too?"

Percy shook his head impatiently and sat down."I tried to stop him when I saw him put his arm around her; I really did!. . . I'd gone to find mum and when I came back in the room he was saying something to her. . . she was scared and backed away. I asked what was happening and he said something about her being only a slave and the little slut was rejecting him, him, the Minister of Magic. Gods, I think he was going to rape her! I held on to his wand arm but he hit me and pushed me away and Imperiused her! Oh gods, what'm I going to do now?"

"Professor Snape'll know what to do, and I have a few ideas myself that will probably work. . .don't worry, you won't be involved at all and it's best if you don't know what happens to him from now on; don't worry we won't kill him...well, probably not...he'll be perfectly safe really. Thanks for trying to save her. I won't forget it."

Percy looked up, shocked out of his stupor; it hadn't occurred to him that even this strangely self-confident version of Harry would ever kill anything at all, let alone the Minister. "Kill him? Kill him?"

"Just joking Perce. Calm down. Of course I'm not gonna kill him! Though I do feel like strangling him right now."

Percy's head drooped back down. He was upset for Sara, but his whole world had cracked and then shattered around him. "I can't think! What should I do?" He started to pace to and fro, both hands rubbing at this face.

Harry just stood and looked at him, unsure of what to say. After a while he suggested, "If you don't want to go on working for the prick, you could. . .oh, you're back already Professor. That was quick."

"Poppy has given her some short acting Dreamless Sleep. That way she won't be worrying until you can see her again Master. She has suffered no physical damage but will need your re-assurance. Not that she will ask for it, at least not if she remembers that you have already told her it was not her fault and she will not want to bother you, but she will need it."

"Ah, thanks for letting me know. Once we've finished here I'll go and see her. She'll probably be happier in our rooms than the infirmary too."

"Yes indeed, Master."

Harry lowered his voice; not that he needed to, as Percy was still too wound up on his own thoughts to hear anything Harry was about to say.

"Could you talk to Percy please? I think he'll listen to you more than he will to me, and this may be a good opportunity to change his ideas a bit."

"Certainly, Master."

Severus turned to Percy who was now sitting with his head in his hands, and walked the few steps towards him, he put his hand on Percy's shoulder and gave it a sharp short shake.

"Weasley! Snap out of it. Pull yourself together. Skulls are not meant to be merely somewhere convenient to park one's hair, so do try to use at least a few of the grey cells in that particularly thick one of yours. . . So, you have discovered that your idol has feet of a particularly crumbly clay; the end of the world it is not. How you have never before seemed to notice any of the many other flaws in his character, I find hard to credit."

Percy muttered something unintelligible and then, "He, isn't a bad man, he isn't...it's. . . he's just gone mad all of a sudden...attacking her like that, with me here too...that's crazy"..."He looked up. "The Imperius. Someone must have put _him_ under that. . . mustn't they?" he asked, pathetically hopeful.

"There's exactly the same evidence of the Imperius as there was in the case of Lucius Malfoy, in other words, none whatsoever."

Percy started to feel more himself, and indignant with it. "No, you're wrong! Mr Malfoy was definitely under the Imperius in the last war. Why..."

"He was not," Severus stated forcefully. "He was my owner at the time and I assure you, Malfoy joined Voldemort eagerly and became his right hand man. Lucius Malfoy is the very epitome of a Death Eater. Apart from Voldemort himself and perhaps Bellatrix, Malfoy is perhaps the most depraved and purely evil wizard in Britain. I had to be with him on some of the raids... His particular predilection was torturing small children and raping them in front of their parents. Don't try to tell me of his virtues."

Percy was not convinced. "If that were true you would've testified at his trial!"

"Ah yes, his trial, his trial at which he was not questioned under Veritaserum and at which no pensive evidence was permitted either."

Percy frowned. "You know Veritaserum is often not permitted for very good reasons; there was plenty of corroborating evidence for Mr Malfoy's plight, and anyway, none of that explains why you did not testify."

"My new master, my owner, was a minor at the time of the trial and in fact was not even aware of my existence. Without his authority I could not give evidence. You should know that if you have even a passing acquaintance with the laws governing evidence from slaves. As for your 'corroborating evidence,' it all came from other Death Eaters who had all also suddenly and conveniently become aware that they too had all been under the Imperius."

"But how do I know you're telling the truth now, eh?"

Unlike some other slave bond spells the one I am under doesn't permit the slave to lie to his master, at least, not without his experiencing pain worse than that from the Cruatius.

Severus then looked directly at Harry. "Master, everything I told Percy about Malfoy is true," and then turned back to Percy. "So, you see, I did not lie to you about Malfoy; if I had then I would not have been able to tell my master that I told you the truth and still be standing here and not screaming.

Harry knew that Severus had been stretching the truth about what his bond would inflict were he to lie to his master, but the part about Malfoy was completely true—and that was the only part of what he had told Percy that Severus had declared to his master to be the truth.

When Percy turned to Harry for confirmation, he nodded. "That's right, and another thing, no 'good upstanding citizen' would have been so revoltingly cruel to. . ." He trailed off as he realised that he had been about to reveal how Malfoy had treated Severus, which was not his story to tell, not morally his at least. . . "Well, the thing is, not only does Fudge think the sun shines out of Malfoy's arse, Fudge also takes bribes, and Malfoy is the main one he takes them from, and everything the professor has just said about him is absolutely true..."

Harry was distracted by a small scraping sound coming from the corner where the Minister of Magic was lying. Fudge was starting to come around and sit up.

Harry, frowned, "Oh do keep quiet; we'll get to you in a moment." He impatiently waved his hand at him and Fudge sank back down again.

Both Severus and Percy were distracted, not by Fudge's coming around, but by the casual way Harry had wandlessly sent a stunner at him. Severus had trouble not visibly smirking; Weasley would be impressed by Harry's almost unconscious display of wandless magic and that suited his master's purposes, and therefore his own purposes too.

Percy blinked. "But your class marks are average at best..."

Harry didn't know why on Earth Percy was talking about his class marks. "What?"

Then he went on without waiting for an answer, his mind still on what he had wanted to say. "What I was going to say before that weak apology for a Minister interrupted, was that you probably want time to think about what Severus has told you. If you still think we're deluded or something then I'll be happy to show you a pensive memory of what happened in the graveyard at Little Hangleton. That should prove I'm not hallucinating about the return of Voldemort... He was never dead in the first place—just reduced to a bodiless spirit—as he had taken a dark magic route to try to achieve immortality. When you see it you'll recognise Malfoy by his distinctive voice and some of the other so-called upstanding citizens all bowing and scraping to their master too, you'll know them by their voices if nothing else... Anyway, don't worry about your career at the Ministry; I know how important that is to you, and we will make sure that you can always carry on just as before, except that for the gods' sakes take off those rose coloured glasses about Fudge and Malfoy. Stop just automatically believing everything that comes out of their mouths."

"Master, may I say something more to young Weasley?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Percy, you are a bright boy, at least compared to many of your classmates you were, but you have a disastrous habit of concentrating on the fine detail at the expense of the whole picture, of looking at the bark of the tree so closely that you cannot see the whole tree, let alone the whole forest. You spend too much time concentrating on the fine print in all the paperwork to notice what has been going on around you. You have been gullible, incredibly gullible; this minister you've blindly been following is a weak and unprincipled fool, a fool and a scoundrel. He is so gut-wrenchingly terrified by the very idea that He Who Must Not be Named might be back again that he forcibly dismisses from his brain any evidence that might prove his return to be true. Not only that, but his friend, main advisor and main contributor to the Cornelius Fudge Extremely High Standard of Living Fund, that is, Malfoy, is a depraved monster masquerading as a decent man.

Even if Fudge, by some illogical mental gymnastics, has been able to make himself sincerely believe that the overwhelming probability is that Voldemort is dead, it is still only his opinion, so the obvious thing to do would be to build up the Auror forces just in case there is even one chance in a hundred that the Dark Lord could be back, him or any other dark lord; history tells us that they do tend arise with almost admirable regularity. Instead, he has helped pass legislation to drastically reduce Auror funds and numbers, and also passed laws to further restrict all magical creatures; laws which make their lives so difficult that they are guaranteed to rush to join any current or new dark lord who promises anything even marginally better. The man is an idiot of the first water. . .

"You have now had demonstrated to you that Fudge has no moral fibre whatsoever; he has, right in front of you, attacked a child, a child who was, he thought, helpless and unworthy of any decent treatment merely because she happened to have been born a slave; Percy, you have backed the wrong hippogriff. Voldemort is back and my master is going to defeat him, for good this time. My master is more powerful than either Voldemort and Dumbledore, and unlike either of them, he is Light, truly light, not light with several deep dark charcoal streaks as is the headmaster. Were it not for the fact that it would embarrass him to hear it," he added with the suspicion of a smirk directed at Harry, "I would also tell you that apart from a couple of redeeming faults for which we are all greatly thankful, he is as close to a bloody saint as you are ever likely to meet, or even want to meet for that matter."

"Severus!" Harry was bright red.

Severus was unrepentant. He said nothing; if he told Harry 'sorry,' when he obviously was not, then Percy might realise that he could lie to his master.

"Oh gods! I suppose you might be right, maybe, but, but, what shall I do?. . . and what are you going to do with the Minister anyway? If I . . . I don't see how I can continue, I should resign ..."

Harry thought he might be able to recruit Percy, to get him reconciled with his family again, if he appealed to his driving need to 'get on' in life.

"No Perce, if I were you I'd keep working for Crouch at the Ministry, just please, please, try to be more aware of what's going on around you... but if you decide that you believe us, and even find you want to support me, then I have the offer of a job for you. Say, what you are getting now, plus keeping your Ministry salary of course, just for letting us know about anything you find suspicious," Harry offered. He could see Percy was tempted but conflicted. "I would never ask you to do anything illegal or immoral."

"My Ministry oath. . . "

"Like I said, nothing illegal, nothing that would cause you to break your employment oath with the Ministry. Do you think placing a listening charm on his office but only telling me if he does anything illegal, such as take a bribe, would break your oath? After all, your oath is to the Ministry, for the Ministry's good, not to or for whoever happens to be minister at the time."

Percy shook his head. "Maybe, no, probably not, but the Minister would probably raise a Muffliato before accepting a bribe. I don't think I could ever tell you anything of any importance."

Severus agreed with Percy; he did not understand why Harry wanted to hire him as any intelligence he would be able to provide would be minimal at best. Then he realised; Harry, ridiculous child he still sometimes was, was trying to find an excuse to give Percy money. Percy was still one of his beloved Weasleys even though he was not on speaking terms with some of them at the moment, and also, if he started to believe that Harry was not delusional, then Percy might be more inclined to reconcile with his family.

Harry was still talking to Percy. "If you feel the only honourable thing to do is resign rather than work in the ministry while Fudge is still the minister, then come and work for me full time. I'm going to need a secretary and I pay well, good retirement benefits and everything."

 _Well,_ _at the moment I don't_ _give_ _any good retirement benefits_ _because_ _I've got_ _no_ _real_ _employees yet, but_ _I w_ _ill_ _do if_ _I_ _ever d_ _o_ _employ anyone_ _other than my elves, Sara and Severus_.

"No need to decide right now. Think about it and let me know."

Yes, there was the proof of it, if more proof were needed; his master did not need a secretary as any correspondence or other paperwork he couldn't do himself was handled by Severus, his lawyer, his Gringott's account manager or by Pemberley. Severus, as he often was when thinking of Harry, did not know whether he was amused or exasperated.

"We better take care of Fudge now I suppose," Harry continued. "First though, I don't know you all that well yet Perce, but . . . I'd like to put a little spell thingy on you that will discourage you—well, very strongly discourage you actually—from telling the wrong people what we've been talking about. It won't affect you in any way except to make you aware of who it's safe to talk to, if there actually _is_ anyone whose safe that is, and who it's not safe to talk to."

"But there is no such spell. Well, not that I've ever heard of."

"I think you'll find that if my master says there is, then there will be, will be, from now on that is. Magic wouldn't dare disobey him," Snape quietly informed Percy. Then he looked at Percy with a straight face and a slight glare, trying to impress upon him that what he was about to say was serious. "It is best that the other sides underestimate him so I would appreciate your not spreading that around."

Percy nodded to show he understood. He also took note of the professor having said 'sides' rather than 'side.' He turned to Harry. "Alright...go ahead."

"Thanks for trusting me. It'll be sort of similar to your having a very sensitive foe glass permanently installed as an attachment to your brain," he explained. Percy was not sure that reassured him at all, but he nodded bravely anyway. The professor trusted Harry and he was no fool.

A minute or two later, with his 'sort of foe glass' installed, Percy Apparated back to the Ministry. Before he left Harry had reassured him that Fudge would not be seriously harmed and there was nothing he had to worry about. Percy was not entirely convinced, but painfully disillusioned as he now was about the minister, he did not care enough to make a fuss about it.

"What do you wish done with our esteemed Minister of Magic Harry?"

"If I had my druthers I'd like to do away with the git permanently, or get Pemberley to incarcerate him somewhere, but I suppose that's out of the question, there would have to be a full investigation if he suddenly vanished, blast it, though we could always ask Pemberley to do his thing to make people forget about him as well...but they'd know something had happened if no one could remember who the minister was."

"That would be no more than he deserves, however I suggest that you do use Pemberley, but in another way; order him to put the Elven version of Obliviate on Fudge so he remembers nothing about Sara, and send him back to the Ministry. That way no one will be able to trace the origin of the spell if they become suspicious, or, in all probability, even find out what it was."

"Good idea...but no, like that he wouldn't be punished for what he did and tried to do to Sara...I'll have to do something to him first, or get Pemberley to do something; Fudge shouldn't be allowed to get away with assaulting her and not even have any memory of it. . .I wonder why he and Percy were here. Why would they be visiting the Weasleys? And where are they anyway? Molly and Arthur I mean. I meant to ask him but I forgot. And why would Percy be with Fudge when he works for Crouch? Don't suppose it matters though, and we can ask him later if we want to."

He paused for a second..."Oh yes, I've got to call my chief crazy elf. . . let all here present prepare themselves to be amazed at how powerful a house elf can be, or at Mm least, believe himself to be, for that and terminal confusion too, of course. . . First things first though, got to play the stern master don't you know, or he'll despise me and start insulting me. . . Accio granddaddy's favourite silver handled whip." Before it could hit him in the head he grabbed the crop which had materialised into the room, accompanied by an appropriate whip-crack sound effect.

"Goodness look at that!" Harry brandished it before Severus as if he might not have noticed it otherwise. "Here already! It must have Apparated or something; I didn't think it would be here for ages, if it came at all. Wicked noise too . . . though this sort of whip can't really make a whip-crack, still that's magic for you. Just brill!"

He paused and then added, "The whip cracking sound is made by long whips because the leather breaks the sound barrier. Did you know that? Not many people know that. That's pretty jolly brill too, wicked even."

"It certainly is a piece of trivia that is of a rare and glittering brilliance Master, and no, I was not previously aware of it. Did Ms Granger inform you of it?"

"Er, no, that's funny actually; I can't remember where I got it from, must have been a book at primary school I suppose, because I'm pretty sure Hermione didn't tell me.

Harry then remembered what he had been about to do. "Pemberley!"

Pemberley, as was his wont and skill, appeared silently. He bowed low, straightened up, looked around, saw that other than his master and the slave, the only other person in the room was unconscious. He smiled.

"What may I do for you Master? Do you want the body disposed of? I am most partial to wet work."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me...but he's not dead, just unconscious. I want him Obliviated about everything that has happened since he first arrived here today."

"Disposing of those not dead, or not-yet-dead in this case, is equally effortless Master, and the not-yet-dead are often far more entertaining. Pray allow me to take care of your soon to be 'dearly departed'."

"Pemberley, you will do as I say, that and nothing more. I just want him Obliviated."

Harry flicked the crop just enough to draw Pemberley's attention to it. "Elves with a tad too much of their own initiative often come to a bad end... I wish him to be Obliviated, nothing else. I could do it myself but want no trace of my magical signature, or any wizard's signature, to be discernible. Can you do it?"

"Nothing is easier than the old 'Forget and Never Remember Again You Bastard' spell. Had lots of practice with that one for your grandpapa, oh yes, oh Merlin yes; very naughty boy your great granddaddy." He smiled fondly at the memory of his old master, and then pulled his attention back to the current Lord Potter.

"If you really don't want him to shuffle off the old mortal coil, then how about adding a bit of 'Do As I Say From Now On You Bastard' as well...that's a good one, had a lot of fun with that one too, back in the good old days."

Harry allowed himself to be side-tracked."I know I'm probably being foolhardy to ask, but are those really the names of your versions of Obliviate and Imperius?"

"Indeed they are Master. I cannot lie to you Master, much as I might like to," 'you little squirt,' he added under his breath. "You can tell me to leave out 'the bastard' part if that is your preference, but I am of the opinion that it adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the whole thing."

"Er, good. Well, okay, do it then... Hold on, hold on, just the Obliviate one, not the Imperius. . . and you can leave the 'bastard' part in, nothing could be more appropriate in his case."

Pemberley pointed one long index finger at the Minister and muttered something under his breath; the only words audible sounded suspiciously like 'you old, fat and ugly old bastard', but Harry did not object; he approved of people telling the truth, especially when the truth was so well deserved.

Pemberley bowed. "All done My Lord. He won't remember anything since he got here, and although he will now wake up, he won't remember what happens next or what we do to him for the next forty six minutes, and there will be no magical signature of any sort from whatever you do to him within those forty six minutes, so allow yourself free rein to do whatever you like . . . Is there anything else I can do for you? A quick straightening of your slave's impressively huge visual pollution of a proboscis perhaps? A few houris for your personal entertainment? Anything at all?"

"No, and mind what you say about the professor! I warned you about that before, so I'm going to have to punish you for it."

Pemberley brightened up, but his owner's next words were horrifying. "When you get home you're to sit still and do absolutely nothing for three hours. The next time you insult him it will be twenty four hours."

Pemberley couldn't help but be impressed at how much his master had improved, despite the continuing and highly regrettable lack of corporal discipline. He was beginning to be the disciplinarian master of whom Pemberley could be proud—despite his scrawniness and deplorable lack of height. That reminded him that his master had not yet visited the... but a noise from the ugly fat lump of a wizard in the corner interrupted him.

Minister Fudge stood up shakily and looked around. He appeared dazed. He stumbled to a chair and sat down.

Pemberley amended what he had been about to say. "Pemberley would loves master to visits him Master. As master promiseded Pemberley."

Harry was puzzled for a second but then remembered that Pemberley had only promised to speak properly when no one but he and Severus could hear him.

"Go home now. Thanks for the help and thanks for the previous grammar. Perform the punishment I've given you and never again forget what I said about Severus. I will visit eventually. Just wait, as is your duty."

Pemberley bowed once more and then silently disappeared.

Harry turned to Severus. "How did I do? Not bad eh?" He said proudly.

"Almost acceptable," Severus said in a bored tone, for a moment speaking to Harry as if he were one of his students. "No really Master," he added quickly, "he behaved more normally this time, so you must have impressed him. You certainly impressed me."

"For a second there I think I got a hint of the real Professor Snape that everyone tells me about. I liked it."

 _If you did then you are unlike virtually every other student in the school._ . . "Please accept my apology Master; my words were completely inappropriate, I forgot for a moment to whom I was speaking."

"But I did like it; I really liked it. I'd love you to be completely yourself with me. 'Specially when we're alone like this."

At Severus' meaningful sideways glance Harry realised that they were not alone. A second later that was made even more obvious when Fudge gave his unsolicited advice. "Best give him a good hiding with that crop you're holding, my boy. That'll improve his behaviour."

The windows started to rattle. "Forty six minutes haven't passed yet have they?" Harry asked.

"Indeed they have not Master. There is plenty of time."

Harry gave Fudge an evil grin. "Perhaps this'll improve _your_ behaviour, but I doubt it. Worth a try though; we must never give up, perseverance's the thing."

He drew his wand and pointed it at the Minister. A few well chosen words later and Fudge's behind felt as on fire as if he had been stung by a dozen wasps, his hands were covered by suppurating boils and a second after that they covered his armpits and groin as well. "Don't worry old boy. The effects will wear off by the end of the week. . . Unlike this one, this is permanent," and Fudge felt his penis shrink to the size of a pea pod, an undersized and miserably undernourished baby pea pod.

"What have you done to me you idiot boy?" Fudge shouted. "I'll..."

"Justice and retribution old man; the warm behind and boils are for what you advised me to do to the professor and the nasty greenish wee willy for what you tried to do to Sara. . . Oh do shut up, you're carrying on like a clone of dearest uncle Vernon."

As he spoke Harry waved his hand at Fudge, "how did that go again? Oh yes, 'Forget and Never Remember Again You Bastard' and, while you are about it, shut up you old fraud too."

He looked at Severus. "I know he was going forget everything anyway, but I wanted to practice Pemberley's spell...and those spells you taught me went rather well too didn't they? Pemberley's certainly seem to have gone alright, even the 'shut up' bit I added on . . . Woops; he's collapsed again. We might as well get him back to his office. . . . Damn, I don't want to call that elf again. The master act takes too much out of me. Dobby will have to do it. . . Dobby!"

Later that day, still idly wondering where he'd come across the information, information that somehow he thought was more important than it seemed to be on the surface, Harry asked Hermione if she had told him about the whip-crack.

"No, it wasn't me. Are sure it's right? I haven't read about it anywhere. I shall look it up for you though. It seems an odd thing for you to know." The truth was, that apart from things she had told him herself or had forced him to read about, Hermione never expected Harry to know much about anything very much at all.*

...

When Harry and Severus got back to Hogwarts the first thing on Harry's mind was Sara. He knew that he should be at the Care of Magical Creatures class but he also knew that Hagrid would forgive him for missing once he explained that there had been a problem concerning Sara.

"Severus, I'm just going to get Sara, she should be okay to leave the infirmary by now shouldn't she?"

"Yes indeed Master. Do you wish me get her or go with you?"

"No, if I go myself she'll know I'm concerned about her and also, we need to get to know each other more."

"If you do not need me, may I finish brewing the Dreamless Sleep for Polly?"

"Yes of course you can! You didn't have to ask...I'll bring her back here for now, okay?"

At that moment the floo flared green and Molly's head appeared in the fireplace. "Oh Severus! We can't find Sara! ... Oh, there you are Harry...Sara's disappeared; we've just got home and we can't find her anywhere..." She trailed to a stop as Harry was shaking his head and holding up a hand to stem her frantic flow.

"She's here Mrs Weasley. Sorry! I forgot to leave a message for you...we...look, something happened; it's all okay now, or it soon will be. May we tell you about it when we bring her back?... I'm so sorry I forgot to let you know that she was with us."

"Oh thank Merlin! Please don't ever do that to me again Harry, I nearly had a heart attack!... She's really alright?"

"Well, not completely, she's had a bad experience, but she's safe now...we'll tell you about it when we bring her back, or this evening, whichever is soonest. Okay?"

"Master, may I ask you something privately?"

"Yes, of course. What is it?" Harry said, turning back towards Severus.

"Should we not ask Molly and Arthur to come through now and tell them the whole story, as they will be worrying until they know?"

Harry hesitated but then nodded and turned back to the fireplace. "Would you prefer to come through now, you and Arthur?"

"Oh yes, thank you," and Molly came through, closely followed by her husband. "Is she really alright?" they said simultaneously.

"Yes, I'm sure she is, or she will be. No thanks to the Minister of Magic; he attacked her...maybe even intended to rape her, and probably would have if we hadn't got there in time."

"What! Fudge? Surely not! Oh gods, my poor baby! ...how did you stop him? What did you do to him?"

"Severus stunned him and then, later, I Obliviated him...well, after a bit of well deserved punishment I did; he will probably find it difficult to rape anyone ever again, with his new one inch long, pencil thick, permanently limp penis."

"I would have killed the bastard!" Arthur objected.

"And then probably found yourself having a holiday chez Azkaban." Severus remarked. Arthur just nodded and then shook his head with his lips tightened.

"No, this way he won't remember anything about it or how he got his new penis."

"Oh Harry! How could you be so foolish? He'll go to a healer and they will find your magical signature!" Molly was now almost as concerned for Harry as she was for Sara.

"Er, no, actually they won't; they won't find anything, cos I didn't do the Obliviation myself, I got my elf to do it and he's certain that it can't be traced, even if they knew it was Elven Magic, which they won't know, and that anything we happened to do to him in the next forty six minutes would leave no magical trace either.

"By the way, there is one other thing, and it might be a good thing; Percy was there with Fudge and tried to stop him attacking Sara, so now, 'specially after the professor explained a few things to him about his precious minister and Malfoy, he might start to realise what a nasty piece of work Fudge really is, and what an idiot as well. Poor Percy is probably still in a state of shock after what happened."

Molly and Arthur's concerns about the possible repercussions for Harry and Severus having been put to rest, Molly's attention returned to Sara. "Where is she? Please take me to her."

Severus was about to say something but Harry forestalled him. "Sorry Molly. I want to talk to her first. Her main concern is going to be my reaction, so until I put her fears to rest she won't be able to feel any better. I'll bring her back to the Burrow once she is ready for that and you can talk to her then...but only if she wants to talk to you about it, don't force her to talk about it," Harry said forcefully.

"Harry! Of course I must see her now! You..." Molly broke off as Arthur put his hand on her arm, restraining her, "Molly, leave it be. Harry's right. You know that the first thought in her mind about anything, is always what Harry will think or do about it."

Molly, with difficulty, managed to calm down. Perhaps Arthur was right, but oh, she needed to see her!

Severus understood Molly's attitude but thought that she needed to understand that of both Sara and their master. "Molly, were I in Sara's place, not only would I want to see my master first, before anyone else, and, if I wanted to speak about it to anyone else, get his permission to do so, I would also need to be absolutely certain that speaking about it was what _he_ wished me to do. I would also need to know exactly to whom I could speak about it and to whom I could not. Please remember, she is his property; only he may decide on anything concerning her."

Molly was abashed. "Sorry. Sorry Harry. I should know all that by now, well, I suppose I did know it but was so upset that I ignored it."

Arthur was relieved that Molly had reconsidered her stance; she did not usually give in so easily. He put his arm around her. "Thanks for letting us come through Harry; we will see you once Sara is feeling up to it, and when you feel that we should...come on Molls old girl; Sara's in good hands with Harry and Severus," and he turned them both towards the fireplace and then he,and a damp-eyed Molly floo'd back to the Burrow.

Harry was feeling guilty. 'Do you think I was a bit harsh? I could've let them see her at least. Actually... I probably should have, that's why you thought they should come through isn't it? There's no sense in coming through if they don't see her...Maybe I should call them back?"

"No Master, not at all. Despite Sara being fond of Molly, she will only be thinking of you and what you might be going to say to her. If Molly were to visit her first then Sara would just have more time to worry herself sick about what your reaction will be to what has happened."

"She can't be too worried about that. None of it was her fault!"

"No, but you might think that she had led him on or had dressed too provocatively."

"Led Fudge on? As if!...As for her clothes, they were all provided by me...well she may still wear a few things that Ginny has grown out of, but can you see Molly letting Ginny buy anything too sexy?"

Severus's lips twitched. "I am not so extravagantly imaginative as to be able to envision that Master."

"Anyway, even if she had been running around in the most provocative clothes in the world or in the nude, that would be no excuse for Fudge to assault her, probably even try to rape her."

"Exactly so Master."

"I should have asked them to stay and see her after I'd visited her...ah well, bit late now, but I might ask Sara if that's what she wants."

Harry turned to the fireplace but then turned to Severus again. "Perhaps you had better come with me, we may need to carry her back."

Madam Pomfrey was just walking towards Sara's bed as they entered. She turned towards them."I was just about to run a final test as to her core, then I think she can go."

"Her magical core? Why would that be affected? I don't think she used any accidental magic."

"No, but she has suffered extreme stress. Occasionally—it is quite rare, but sometimes, especially with children—excessive stress can affect their magical cores; strangely though, it is not always a detrimental affect, sometimes the core is strengthened instead of being weakened...not that the results this time will be much more than guesswork as I've no previous readings to measure it against...do you realise that I have never given her a medical examination before and you haven't given me any of her previous medical records either?"

Both wizards shared a guilty look and Harry was about to apologise for it not having occurred to him to have Sara checked over medically when first he got her, but Severus answered before he could say anything.

"I think Molly Weasley will have attended to that, but if not, then the fault of having overlooked the need for it was mine. When my master bought Sara he asked me to attend to all matters relating to her, so he would have assumed that I'd had that done."

Polly Pomfrey didn't believe that for a moment, and after seeing the look on Harry's face was certain that it had simply never occurred before to either of them. Men!

"Mm, be that as it may, once Sara has completely recovered from her ordeal, you must bring her to me for a thorough examination." She stepped farther away from Sara's bed and lowered her voice. "Did it never occur to either of you that her previous owner may have sexually abused her and that she would need healing and counselling?"

Harry was upset at failing once again in his responsibility to protect his slaves, but shied away from wanting to think more about that at the moment.

"Can we talk about this later? Is Sara okay to leave now? You can check her core later," and he walked over to Sara, picked her up, which made her squeak, and walked out of the door with her, only to come back in a second or two later, mumbling something that sounded like "I'm a bloody muggle," and took her over to the fireplace."

"Yes. She can go." Polly said belatedly as they floo'd away.

Severus was annoyed and was still determined not to let Harry take the blame for not having Sara examined. He decided that 'attack was the best defence' and before stepping into the floo after his master, asked the healer, "Just how thorough was your examination of my master when he first came to Hogwarts? After hearing nothing about what an examination of him may have shown, I, and no doubt he too, no doubt thought medical examinations were useless."

"What?"

"You heard me, Madam Healer. Think about it," and he floo'd to the dungeons.

However, during the few seconds it took before he emerged into their suite, he realised what he may have implied about his master's childhood. He would have to confess his indiscretion to Harry, but that would have to be after Sara had been reassured that she was not in trouble.

She was being fussed over by Harry and had started to cry, which was obviously flustering him. He helped her to stand up from the floor onto which she must have kneeled once Harry had put her down, hugged her awkwardly for a brief minute or two while saying "There, there," ineffectively, and then led her to the sofa. "Here, sit down and I'll get you a cuppa . . . that's if you want one of course, would you?. . . Severus will know what to do. . . yes. .. but a hanky first... where are my...?"

He summoned a handkerchief and a whole new packet of them sailed into the room and would have hit him in the head had his reflexes been any slower. He opened the box and pulled a couple of them out and handed them to Sara,

"Where has he got to? ... Oh there you are," he added, having just noticed him coming from the fireplace.. Severus stepped farther into the room and bowed slightly to Harry.

"How may I assist Harry?

"I'm not sure. She is too upset to say anything to me. Please do, whatever you can for her and please let her know I'm no ogre!"

Severus said, "Yes Master, "Accio'd a calming draught and then sat beside Sara. She obediently opened her mouth and swallowed the potion he was holding to her lips. After a few moments she visibly calmed.

Harry, who had been pacing to and fro and feeling useless, paused and waited impatiently for Sara to feel well enough to listen to them, but Sara, who had started to pull herself together, looked up, realised he was impatient, and quailed.

Severus looked at Harry significantly and Harry huffed, "Oh, sorry. Take no notice of me," which was an order neither of them could easily obey. He realised that he wasn't helping at all and so with a muttered, "sorry. I'll be in my bedroom when you need me," hurried from the room.

Severus, seeing that Sara knew that she had made Harry uncomfortable, reassured her. "Don't worry, our master is not angry, he is merely upset that he feels unable to help you.

The calming draught had worked its magic on Sara by then. She gave one final sniff and then said reasonably coherently, "Mr Fudge grabbed me and tore at my robes and blouse after I pushed him away when he tried to kiss me. . . I told him to stop ... but he said that I should be honoured that a free pureblood wizard wanted me as I'm not even pretty. He said other things too but I was too busy trying to get away to hear them properly. Then he grabbed at my blouse to pull me back to him as I tried to back away and it ripped right down the front . . . I suppose I just panicked and forgot my ring until it was too late. Master will be angry I forgot won't he? He gave me exact instructions to use it whenever...but why did the Minister do that? Mr Percy tried to help but he got pushed away and fell over." She dabbed ineffectively at her nose and eyes with the handkerchief Harry had given her.

"Fudge is a fool and quite unprincipled but even I would not have thought he was quite so bad as to assault someone." Severus gingerly put his arm around Sara; touchy feely was _really_ not his forte, but obviously Harry would expect it of him, and she leaned against his shoulder. _And_ _Fudge is even more of a fool than even I had thought him;_ _not only_ _had_ _he laid himself open to blackmail from Percy_ _but also_ _did he not realise that he almost certainly would be found out? He obviously underestimates how dangerous Harry can be by several orders of magnitude.._

"Do you feel capable of telling our master the details or do you wish me to do so?"

"Would you sir? . . . Well, no, I had better tell him myself or he'll think I'm a complete wimp—but could you stay with me when I tell him please? He scares me so."

"There is no need for you to be so frightened of Harry," ... _that's interesting; apparently my bond allows me to call him Harry when with another of his slaves._.. "No, Harry is perhaps uniquely powerful which frightens those magically sensitive enough to be aware of it, and he is our master, so of course we fear him, but he is also extremely kind and solicitous of our welfare, as I have told you before. Now you just sit here... no, do not get up just to drop back onto the floor; he will want you to sit on the sofa. . . and I'll tell him that you are feeling a little better and ready to talk to him."

Severus walked to Harry's bedroom and knocked on the door.

Harry opened it and looked at him enquiringly. "Okay for me to come out now?" he asked anxiously, straining his head and neck by trying to look around Severus and at Sara.

Severus was hard put not to show his amusement. The master of whose power he had just boasted, was behaving like a small boy about to be scolded.

"Yes indeed Master Harry. Sara now feels able to tell you what prompted her arrival here.

'Master Harry?' Severus had not called him that before. He was not sure he liked it; for some reason it made him sound like a small boy.

Harry shook off that thought and approached Sara, who on seeing him again stood and bowed low.

"Oh, stand up again do. . .er, sorry... actually I mean sit down again. . .yes, thanks, that's better. Severus says you're feeling a bit better. His potions are brilliant aren't they?"

"Yes Master, they are," Sara answered in a quiet voice and apprehensive tone. "Master, I'm sorry I didn't use the ring properly to come here; it wasn't anything very much that happened to me really; I panicked and I shouldn't have. You had to come to me instead. I'm so sorry!"

"Sara," Severus said gently. "Remember what I said about it when our master gave you the ring?"

She reseated herself on the very edge of the sofa. "I'm sorry sir, you said I was to use it for even the slightest thing."

"And this was more than the slightest thing, much much more; he assaulted you. Please tell our master what you told me."

Sara did manage, haltingly, to tell what had happened. Harry became even more furious than he had been when at the Burrow and Severus wished that Fudge could be there with them to witness the cracks appearing in the stone walls.

"Master, the walls..." Harry did not hear him so he placed his hand on his shoulder and repeated, "the walls Master, you are making them crack."

"What? ... Oh, cripes. Sorry." Harry waved his wand muttering something that sounded to Severus like "repair." The cracks melded together, and the walls looked as if they has been sand-blasted clean. _That_ _was another thing that_ _should not have worked_.

Harry ceased his distracted pacing and sat down opposite Sara and Severus. "First we need to make you feel better and safe again, and then I'll tell you what we have done about Fudge," he said, and then continued, "I could ask Severus to Obliviate the memory of it from you, and I certainly will do that if that's what you want, but I don't think the professor would think that's a good idea, would you Severus?"

Severus murmured, "No sir. I would not. Probably one Obliviation would not be greatly injurious, however any Obliviation has some deleterious effect, so should be avoided wherever possible."

Harry nodded, "That's what I thought you'd think... So, Sara, I think that means that we either leave you with the full memory of it, or put your memory of it in a pensive, which would not remove it from your mind completely, but would make it seem like a very old memory ... Yes Severus? You want to say something?"

"Thank you Master. You are quite correct, but there is also a method of using a pensive that makes the remaining memory seem as if it is someone else's.

"Whatever you prefer Master. But Master I am so sorry I didn't use the ring properly! Please, what is to be my punishment?"

"There's no need for that! You did what I asked you to do and you did it immediately you were able to...if that bastard of a bond of yours tries to tell you differently then tell it I will jolly well punish _it_."

Sara giggled. "It won't like that! I'm pretty sure it's one of those people who can dish it out but not take it."

Harry was pleased that Sara seemed to be feeling a lot better, and pleased with himself for being able to console her, which he had felt so inadequate to do just minutes earlier.

"Anyway, even if you had done something wrong, which you definitely have not, your having to experience what you have today would be punishment enough, far too much..." _Of what made me say that? It's reminded her of it. I'm an idiot; now she looks all_ _wibley-_ _wobbly again._ He patted her shoulder gingerly and looked to Severus for rescue.

Severus was not much more adept than Harry at tea and sympathy, despite having had a great deal more experience at it, but he did possess a fail-safe that stood him in good stead when dealing with any of his homesick first-formers or lovesick older Slytherins. He turned towards the open door of his laboratory and said "Accio Mother's Comfort," and when a bilious-yellow phial flew to his hand he held it out towards Sara. "Open you mouth. This will help. Take three or four drops, not more, from the pipette."

Almost immediately Sara had taken the potion she felt greatly improved. She still felt guilty for causing such a bother for her master, but his constant reassurance soon convinced her that he did not consider her at fault in any way at all. The potion's 'comforting' qualities, greatly amplified by Harry's concern, soon had her smiling and feeling well, and his tale of what he'd done to the Minister to punish him, soon had her laughing.

"Best not to tell anyone that though. We must keep it between ourselves," he warned, glancing at Severus, whose expression showed that he didn't think it wise to have told Sara about it. _Ah well, too late now. Besides, Sara wouldn't tell anyone now he'd told her not to._

"Would you like to stay here tonight or do you want to go back to the Burrow?"

Sara wanted to stay near her master, but thought it would disrupt his normal routine and that Mr and Mrs Weasley would...

"Oh Master! Mr and Mrs Weasley must be worrying about what has happened!"

"No, no, they know all about it; they even know that Fudge's John Thomas is not what it was...and yes Severus, I know I probably shouldn't have told them that either. No, you don't have to worry that they are worried...well, they are of course, but only about how it has affected you."

"I think I should go back Master."

"Good, that's probably best," _and if necessary_ _we_ _can Obliviate their memories._ "Do you want to put the whole thing in a pensive like we talked about?"

"No thank you Master. I should remember it so I remember not to freeze if something like it ever happens again."

"Are you sure? Yes? Well, okay, but perhaps you should just try and not think about it too much...I'm thinking of getting some new protections for you, so it probably won't happen again...but if you change your mind then let Severus or me know and we'll bring a pensive to the Burrow."

TBC

*AN Had either of them known that the fact that the crack of a stock whip was caused by the long thong breaking the sound barrier and not because it hit against itself, had not yet been discovered, they would have been more


	10. Chapter 9 Hyper Harry

A/N : PLEASE READ THE FIRST NOTE! or you will not understand–or at least become confused by—the subsequent, so-called 'chapters' if you don't read it.

AN 1

I'm sorry about the ages it has taken me to update this story.

I already had several chapters written when I last updated, however there were missing chapters, and those I did have did not follow any chronological sequence. 'What's new about that?' you may well ask. Well, only that the lack of any continuity was even more extreme, far far more extreme, than it has been so far. Also some chapters, particularly one featuring a new character called Fletcher, did not fit into this story very well at all. (I got so totally carried away by the 'Harry obsesses about his responsibility of care for Sara and Severus' thing, that it became quite ludicrous. Le sigh.)

I had intended to rectify all that. Yes, well, there are no prizes for guessing that I never got around to it–and now, almost certainly, never will.

I think that the inclusion of humorous scenes in a story of slavery probably seems so peculiar to most people that it explains the lack of much interest in the story, and the lack of very many reviews—but more reviews and favs would definitely have made me more inclined to continue to be interested in writing it, sad commentary on me that that is. LOL.

So, now, due partly to my own laziness and partly to lack of interest, it now seems that I'll never get around to neither to correcting the continuity, nor to writing the missing chapters. I intend to merely put up what I have—as disconnected scenes for anyone who has liked this fic well enough to want to read them too. (The one where Harry has trouble getting past the gargoyle I found very funny to write, childish perhaps, but funny also, so with luck some readers may find it humorous too, so please try that one at least.)

SO, if I can work out how to add to the title of this fic,(unlikely) it will/may henceforth include something along the lines of 'scenes from a life'

AN 2

After reading on FFN a couple of chapters of this fic, and several chapters on my other stories, I have discovered that somehow, between writing them on my PC, and finally uploading to the site, something has intervened to, amongst several other things, delete many of the spaces between words. At this stage I don't intend to go back and correct everything, however from now on I shall make use of the facility on FFN itself to edit chapters before upload. Naively, I had thought that that facility was superfluous if the chapter had previously been edited. I was wrong. Henceforth I'll try to remember to give them a final edit on this site.

AN 3

If you think this fic is sometimes humorous then please try my other fics–because my cracked brain wrote them too you know. Also, a review or three would enthuse my interest in writing them, and in putting up other stories I've written. I did not think I'd ever be reduced into being the sort of fanfic writer who begs for reviews, but here I am, pleading. So sad. Writing into a wall of silence is discouraging to say the least.

Chapter summary:

Severus thinks back to Harry's first year at Hogwarts and what had been his reaction to the news that not only Voldemort was probably still alive, but also, because of Voldemort's, belief in the prophesy, Harry's future would be dangerous and uncertain.

Explanations, loose ends, hyper Harry, misunderstandings:

Warning:

slightly fluffy in parts, swear words. BTW, my Hermione is not all super sensitive about swear words, and in particular she does not object to words such as 'damn' which, in my experience, most Brits think is very mild, and don't find offensive at all; horrified reaction to 'damn', 'my god!' etc. makes the character sound like an American to me.

...

As it happened, for the last two evenings Harry had not come down to the dungeons during the day, and had also slept in the Gryffindor dormitory, so Severus had not yet had a chance to tell him that he may have caused Healer Pomfrey to call Harry in for a health check in the near future—and what that might reveal.

Despite being tardy in confessing, Severus had not suffered from anything more than a warning twinge from his bond, however it would, obviously, become more than a mere twinge were he to leave his confession much longer, and also, quite, apart from anything the bond might demand, it would not do to have Harry discover it from anyone other than Severus himself, or be surprised by a completely unexpected health check.

Severus' mind drifted back to a similar situation which had occurred not long after Harry had first arrived at Hogwarts:

The three friends 'adventure' when going after the Philosopher's Stone, and Harry's subsequent shock and stress over having killed Quirrell, had worried Severus so greatly that he had confronted the headmaster about what had gone on.

From the moment at the opening feast, when Albus had told the whole school that the third floor was forbidden and lethally dangerous–and he may as well have said that an exciting adventure awaited anyone brave enough to visit the mystery on the third floor–to the series of weak 'protections' for the stone set up by Albus, Minevra, Filius and Quirrell, it had all reeked of being a set up to test Harry's courage and abilities.

Severus had been infuriated. His subsequent rant to Albus—about having the stone at the school in the first place, what danger to Harry and the other pupils that had incurred—had then somehow morphed to include other complaints that had been on his mind; among them was the serious one that Dumbledore had never checked on Harry and his life with the Dursleys. At the last moment he had managed to stop himself from saying what such a checkup might have revealed, and had then managed to make it sound as if it were the mere lack of routine checks that he was complaining about, and not that results of any such checks might be shocking. He then returned the topic quickly, to what had happened with Quirrell, and apparently, judging from the fact that the bond had been quiet, that had worked, since the headmaster had not seemed to give the complaint about non-existent checkups any more thought.

"If you'd just thought to include me when planning your so-called protections for the stone, I'd have told you _then_ what a completely insane idea the whole thing was! Can't you understand what danger you'd put the whole school in, let alone my master, by having the stone here as a trap for the Dark Lord?

"I do wish you'd call him Voldemort, my boy; calling him the Dark Lord makes you sound like a Death Eater..."

"For the gods' sake Albus, that belonging to Malfoy for so long has resulted in my habit of calling that abomination 'The Dark Lord' is neither here nor there, it's completely beside the point. What's important is that you've endangered the school and caused my master needless trauma. . .and it was all for absolutely nothing! The Dark...Voldemort escaped anyway. Why on Earth didn't you at least run your little plot past me before you embarked on such idiocy? Testing my master in order to find out if he actually is the subject of the prophesy is ridiculous. Why you should be doing is arranging special training for him in case he is its subject, so that he will at least have a ghost of a chance of defeating any dark lords, not messing about with tests that judging from this one, are more likely to ensure my master's defeat than his victory.

As for this fiasco, if you had spoken to me about it, even if I couldn't have dissuaded you from going ahead with it, at least I could have improved your tests to the point where they might have some hope of foiling Voldemort, and protected my master at the same time."

"Things are not so simple as you seem to believe...and do try and calm yourself dear boy. I did consult Minevra and Filius; had there been any weaknesses in the plan they would have pointed them out to me...and your sighing like that is quite unnecessary dear boy, and it does not impress me at all. It was all perfectly well thought out. . .I admit, perhaps the consequences were not entirely as I'd hoped, however we have gained valuable insight into Harry's strengths and the strength of his mother's protection. You, naturally, are upset on your young master's behalf, and that of course, is exactly as it should be, however..."

"Answer the question! Why did you not ask for my input? "

Albus blinked. He was not accustomed to such lack of respect from Severus. However the dear boy's over-reaction was understandable, especially as he seemed to be under the misapprehension that Harry had been suffering from serious distress at having, almost inadvertently, caused poor Quirrell's demise.

"Now Severus, I'm sure you can help Harry through any self-recriminations he may be feeling for having been an agent in the death of a professor. . . Harry is too sensible a lad not to realise that it was completely a matter of self defence."

"I'm surprised you know the meaning of 'self-recriminations'. . .or do they only apply to people other than yourself?"

"I shall ignore your rudeness this time, and this time only... The reason we did not involve you in the planning to protect the stone, was that we, Minevra and I, knew that had Harry been foolhardy enough to ignore my warnings about the third floor, and had asked you about it, you would have had no option but to tell him...tell him the whole of it no doubt. . . I know it is not in you to blame your master for anything, however I must point out that had Harry not ignored my warning and broken several school rules, none of this would have happened."

"That's arrant nonsense. After being a teacher for so many years, you knew very well, you _must_ have known, that your so-called 'warning' that the third floor was forbidden, was nothing less than a juicy bait to entice any self-respecting and adventurous young child to investigate the myster.

...

In fact I think that was precisely what you were hoping for–for Harry to respond in exactly he way in which he did respond–and why it was _only_ my master and his friends who responded to it I'll never understand ; it's a wonder that solving the third floor mystery was not the main after school activity for all the rest of the Gryffindors at least, if not the whole school."

Severus sighed. The headmaster did not seem capable of understanding that what he had done was wrong. . . He tuned in again to what Albus was saying.

"You too were at fault Severus. Had you managed to establish the rapport between you and your master, a rapport that I had fully expected by then—you are a Slytherin after all—he would no doubt have informed you of his plans, and you could have protected him from what you thought were the dangers."

Well, Harry had told him, not that had helped either Harry himself or Severus. . .and had resulted... Severus had brought his mind back to the present.

"What was an error, was a fault, was your putting my master through his paces to obtain the stone—and to prove what, his worthiness?—that was what you don't seem capable of understanding. Another of your errors is that, yes, I'm a Slytherin, but any 'rapport' I may manage to have achieved with my master, would be that Slytherin quality being used primarily for his benefit, not my own."

"Ah yes, of course, you are right. I should have realised that your bond would insist that not only you would strive to create that rapport, but also that it would be for Harry's benefit rather than your own. I apologise, obviously any lack of understanding between you and Harry is not for want of your efforts." Albus smiled his forgiveness and understanding.

Severus winced but said nothing. He felt hurt that Albus did not realise that it was not the slavery bond's insistence that was making him put Harry's interests before his own, but then he was surprised that he was feeling such offence. . .and also taken aback, slightly alarmed, at his realisation that it was his own. . .what? Feelings?... No... inclinations?. . . Yes, that was it; it was his natural inclination, his basic character, to put his master's interests . . .no. . .other people's interests, before his own. Yes, right. . .that was how he'd think of it, as his own selfless nature...

He then realised that the headmaster was smiling at him fondly. It reminded him of the look one might bestow on a favourite but not very bright dog. He sighed, nodded goodbye, turned and left the room, shutting the door particularly carefully, soundlessly.

At the time, Severus had had good reason to believe that his master was suffering after killing Quirrell. Harry's behaviour, after he had awoken in the hospital wing, had been odd and clingy; Yes, it had been quite apparent that Harry had been suffering from his experience, his deadly confrontation with the Dark Lord and Quirrell's death...

Harry had knocked, muttered the password, and hadentered their rooms. He leaned back against the door for a moment, watching as Severus stood and inclined his head. Then Harry straightened himself up and walked further into the room, and then started talking, very fast.

"You must be very angry with me. I shouldn't have told you not to help me or interfere in any way, I really really shouldn't have; it didn't work out too well without you there. It was a disaster actually, as old Voldie got clean away."

He stopped in front of his slave, and then turned and started to wander around the room, distractedly picking up books and bottles from the shelves and then replacing them out of order, still talking. "I know that _now._ I know that I shouldn't have stopped you helping I mean. . .okay, actually I've always known it, but, well, I suppose I wanted to prove to you that you didn't have to protect me all the time, that I was all grown up and not just an eleven year old idiot. And I suppose I thought that if I let you keep on objecting, then you might end up convincing me not to investigate what was going on...and you'll laugh at this, the stupid thing is, just before the end, just before we followed Quirrell, we asked professor McGonagal for her help, so if she'd agreed, if she had not thought we did not know what we were talking about and had dealt with it herself, then we wouldn't have proved how grown up we were. I wouldn't have anyway, Ron and Hermione didn't even know what I was thinking about that. Huh, if it weren't for them I wouldn't even have got beyond the Devil's Snare, let alone the chess and the poison."

His perambulation about the room had brought him back to Severus at that point, and Severus placed his hand on Harry's sleeve. "Master, Harry, please don't trouble yourself on my account, and the outcome is not nearly as bad as you seem to think. After all, you defeated, completely out-fought, the D. . . Voldemort himself. That's twice now, and no one else has beaten him even once." Then realising he was still holding on to Harry's sleeve, he slowly let go.

Harry turned suddenly, flung his arms around Severus waist and held on. "I'm so sorry! Sorry I wouldn't let you tell me to stop trying to play detective."

Severus patted his back awkwardly. It was obvious to him that the real reason Harry was upset was that he'd killed Quirrell. He hastened to reassure his master. "Quirrell wasn't blameless. You should never think that. He probably allowed himself to host the Dark Lord, and there was no way he could have been saved once he had made that decision. Plus of course, more importantly, had you not killed him, he would have killed you."

"Yes, it was self defence," Harry muttered, agreeing, but not quite sure why Severus had changed the subject. . . Oh, of course, he thought it was Quirrell he was upset about... He supposed he should be feeling more remorse at having killed a man, everyone seemed to think so, so they were probably right, but really, what else could he have done? He'd been fighting for his life for god's sake. . .but he _should_ be feeling bad about it anyway. Perhaps he really was a freak...

Everyone thought he was upset about Quirrell , but he didn't seem to be, not as much as he should be anyway...that was a worry... perhaps he was one of those people who didn't feel things like others do, or had no conscience at all...god, he hoped not!

"If he'd just collapsed I'd have let go. . . Did the headmaster explain that my hands burned him? Because of my mother's protection thing, the headmaster said it was. Anyway, I'd have let him go. . . well, I think I would've, but he didn't, he just kept on attacking me, and then Voldemort came out of his head and that was what finished him off; so I only helped to kill him, I didn't do it all myself, in fact if Voldie's spirit hadn't come out of his head he might not have died at all!"

"Yes master, that's right. So you mustn't feel so badly about it. It's understandable that you do, completely understandable, but there is no reason that you should, no reason at all."

'Um, yes, there's no reason is there?" Harry released his death grip on Severus and stepped back, suddenly awkward and embarrassed. "Well, I'd better go back to...well, no, I think I'll sleep here tonight, that'll be alright I guess? I might go to bed now actually, even though it's still early."

"Of course Harry, these are your rooms after all, but allow me to give you a calming draught first; that will help I think."

After taking the sleeping draught, which Harry did need, but not perhaps entirely for the reason Severus thought, Harry felt re-invigorated and changed his mind about having an early night. He and Severus spent the evening in their usual manner, that is, Severus marking essays and Harry working on his homework. But this time he interrupted Severus, more than he did normally, with questions about his homework, and also giving Severus the 'benefit' of his detailed opinions about the school, the classes, his friends, the people he liked and why, those he disliked and why, the weather, and how Scotland had serious weather, and what that meant for Quidditch, although he didn't mind, he could play seeker in almost any sort of weather really, well, except when his glasses misted up, flying, the meals, the meals were wicked! That the roof of the Great Hall still amazed him, that Hermione's hair was bushy, but he liked it anyway, he liked charms too, not the theory so much, but the practice was fun, ...well, wherever his mind wandered to, and it was skipping blithely from subject to subject at a great rate.

After half an hour, having waited vainly for the draught to calm Harry down, Severus put down his quill, leant over his desk to pick up the phial of calming draught, examined the label, and then sniffed at the contents. He looked at Harry. "How do you feel now Harry?"

"Oh, er, fine, good...really good actually. Why?"

"That draught was supposed to calm you, but it seems to have done the opposite. Some people do react in an atypical way to some potions, and it seems you may be among them, for this potion at least. It is far more rare with magical potions than it is with muggle drugs, but certainly not unheard of."

"Well, I like it. It's stopped me feeling worried about you being angry,"...

He hurried to add, "and about having to kill the professor of course. So it's worked, but it's done it by jazzing me up instead of sending me to sleep. . .but. . .er...I'm interrupting you too much aren't I?. . .I should go to my room. . .shouldn't I?" He looked at Severus imploringly, hoping for rebuttal, and was not disappointed.

"Not at all Master. I'm pleased to see you in a happier frame of mind; if that means you feel talkative that is a small price to pay."

Harry stared at Severus while he considered that, and then said slowly, "But it is still a price isn't it, for you anyway, 'cause I'm interrupting your work."

"My primary work, my first duty, is to you, my master. The only interruptions I'm concerned about are interruptions to my care of you, and they are also the only interruptions with which you should concern yourself. Anything other than your interests, including my work as a professor, means very little to me. Only your satisfaction and happiness is important, the rest means nothing. If you wish to retire to your room, do so, but only if that is what you truly wish to do Master. I am here to serve you, always."

Something was wrong with that, Harry thought, very wrong. Wrong and a little disturbing. Severus seemed sincere, but if he was, then that meant that he saw himself as a slave before anything else, but slavery was wrong, evil . . .but. . .but. . .it also meant that Severus was someone that he could trust, totally trust. That was seductive, a comfort to him, and that was something he'd not had before from anyone.

Then something else occurred to him, an amusing thought: Severus seemed as intent on spoiling him as Aunt Petunia was on spoiling Dudders. He smiled.

"You'd better watch out; if you keep saying things like that to me I'll end up as spoilt as my cousin Dudley. You won't like me then!"

Severus' eyes smiled at him. "No you won't. I have no fear of that." _All that will happen is that you relax and realise that I'm always on your side. You need someone upon whom you can totally rely, and I can be that person for you._

 _"_ Well, you have more trust in me than I have in myself. I hope you're right," he grinned, "if you're not and I start acting like selfish pig, you have to tell me. There, see, you _have_ to tell me 'cause I've told you that you have to. Besides, it would be in my interest, which is just what you said is important to you, as no-one wants everyone to think they have a bad character do they?"

"If I'm wrong and your character ever becomes that of a spoilt child, I shall certainly inform you of it Master."

"Good. Thank you." Harry was suddenly serious. "That's what friends do you know; they tell you things, the true things you might not like, that no one else will."

"Indeed Master."

Severus had sat quietly for a few moments after Harry had, eventually, gone to his bedroom. It had been an odd sort of day. Usually it was often difficult to believe Harry was only eleven, but then he would surprise you by saying something that made it difficult to believe he was as _old_ as eleven. Today however, the emotional young child had predominated. Killing one's first man tended to do that to one, especially when one was only eleven at the time. He snuffed out the candles and prepared for bed.

Severus became wide awake the moment he heard his bedroom door start to open. For a moment he was back to a time when doors opening into rooms in which he had been sleeping—the opened doors revealing his masters or his masters' friends—had been followed by activities almost as painful as the Cruatius, not only physically, but even more so, psychologically.

Then reason returned. He breathed again. It was his master, yes, but this master was kind . . .and he was only a child, a kind young child.

"Harry? Is that you?" He knew that it was.

"Yes, it's me. I can't sleep. Well, I can sleep but I had a nightmare again, and I thought, maybe, well, can I, er...?"

"Do you need a dose of Dreamless Sleep?" As he spoke, Severus flung his legs out of the bed and started to stand up.

"Yes, I suppose, okay, thanks, but I just wondered if I could. . . er. . .sleep in your bed tonight? Would you mind awfully? Dudley sleeps with Petunia when he has bad dreams. . .not that I want to be like Dudders, but. . .

"Of course you may Master. Let me expand the bed a little...there, now there's plenty of room. . . Accio Dreamless Sleep."

Harry opened his mouth for the dose of Dreamless Sleep, but then closed it again before Severus could give it to him. 'Er, I know you think that you have to say yes when I ask for something, but you don't really, really you don't; so if you'd rather just dose me up with the potion and then ask me to go back to my room that is fine, really fine. . .but if you don't mind me sleeping here then I don't think I need the Dreamless Sleep. Besides, when I took it before it didn't work, remember?"

Not for the first time, Severus was reminded that his master still did not fully understand the relationship between a master and his slave. Or, perhaps, being Harry, he did know but was trying to be as nice about it, as gentlemanly about it, as possible.

Either way, Harry had expressed a desire to sleep in his bed, so his disclaimer that Severus did not have to agree meant nothing in practice, Well, it did illustrate that he was lucky to have so thoughtful a master, and he was grateful for that, but it did not alter the fact that he had to accede to that master's expressed preference. Reminded of far less innocent requests, no, less innocent orders, from former masters, he was also grateful that Harry's need to sleep with him was literally just that: a desire for comfort from the only adult carer he had had since he was a baby.

Meanwhile, while Severus was slightly distracted by his thoughts , Harry had jumped into the bed. "I've been thinking."

Severus put the probably useless potion on the bedside table, and got into bed beside him. "Have you indeed?"

"Yes. I'm still a bit hyped up. I think it's mostly a hang-over from all that's happened today, not from the draught, anyway, can we talk for a while?"

Then he went on without waiting for an answer, "whatever it is, I've been thinking. . .I was very lucky today wasn't I? We all were, very lucky; if the things defending the philosopher's stone had been any different we couldn't have got through them so easily. Hagrid had told us about Fluffy sleeping if you played music, Hermione worked out the logic problem that professor Flitwick made, Ron played us through the chess game that professor McGonagall set up, or at least I think she did that one, and I'm a pretty good flyer so I could catch the key, and Quirrell had already killed the troll. Then, okay it was pretty awful, but it was lucky my hands burnt him, Quirrell/Voldemort I mean, or he would have killed me. . .Hermione told me once that there used to be a goddess of luck, well, fortune really, called Fortuna. . . Well I think Fortuna must still exist and she must have made sure that all the tests were very suited to us three, so I should start worshiping her. What do you think? She should be rewarded with a new devotee I think. What do you think?"

"I think there was a more human agent of your so-called 'luck' in this case. The someone who arranged the tests to suit you and your friends lives rather closer than mount Olympus I believe. Have you considered that whoever did that may not have had your best interests at heart, at least in this case? That you had been lured into a series of tests designed solely to test you?"

"Yes, yes, I did think of that! But Fortuna is the goddess of luck, any sort of luck or fortune, not just the good sort of luck. That's why I was lucky enough to survive the killing curse and unlucky enough to lose my mum and dad. . .and the rotten luck to have to live with the Dursleys too, and then I had good luck again and got to go to Hogwarts instead of Stonewall High. So if I worship her she might stop giving me any bad luck and give me all good luck. Good move huh?"

"I'm not sure if you're serious Master."

Harry turned and stared at Severus for a few moments, his eyes widening slightly, then his mouth quirked and a few seconds later he burst out laughing. "Yes I am serious, seriously teasing you that is. I had you going didn't I? I guess someone, probably the headmaster, arranged it all didn't he? Yes? To test us? To test Hermione, Ron and me I mean. . .See, I said I'd been thinking. The thing is though, why? Why would he do that?"

Severus didn't reply immediately; he was not sure what he should say, but this did seem to be a good opportunity to tell his master of the prophesy, but wasn't sure that Harry needed to have something so worrying, so burdensome, heaped upon him so soon after the trauma he'd suffered that day. Then too, he was only eleven; telling an eleven year old child that he would have to kill Voldemort or die himself, well, that was unthinkable; it would have to wait until he was at least a few years older.

"Severus?"

"Sorry Harry, I was thinking, I had not thought you would realise that the trials on the way to the stone seem to have been designed with you and your cohorts specifically in mind, let alone that the headmaster may have arranged them."

"Um, actually it was something Ron said that started me thinking. He said it was a good job that he was a good chess player, but if we'd thought to grab a couple of the brooms in the room with the keys, we could probably have flown right over the chess board and not had to play the game to get through, at least he and I could, but then Hermione wouldn't have been there to work out the logic puzzle for us, though we could have given her a lift I suppose. Then before, when I was trying to get to sleep, I remembered Ron saying that, and it started me thinking about all three of us and how strange it was that we were all good at something that had let us defeat the puzzles. . .so that's when I thought that someone must have arranged it that way...and also starting a cult to worship Fortuna would be good fun.

Any suggestions of where we can hold the sacred rites? You wanna be one of the priests? You'd have to be pious and devoted of course, but you could amuse yourself writing the sermons, and delivering them too of course, once we get more followers. . .Probably Herms should design the priestly robes, she's a girl, they like doing that sort of thing. . . Besides, if she thinks that's sexist, then I'll tell her that since she'll have to be a nun that she'll need something to pass the time when she's not praying." Harry was chattering on, amusing himself with his nonsense and trying to amuse Severus, but Severus did not look all that amused. He was a difficult audience, was Severus. Still, he did have a slight twist to his lips.

"I saw that! Victory is mine! You nearly smiled! We can't be serious all the time, well, I can't be, I guess you can be, if you want to, though if I'm your boss then you should laugh at my jokes you know, however weak they are. That's only sensible! I'd laugh at yours if you were my boss."

Severus' mind had returned its previous debate about if he should risk telling Harry the prophesy now or wait until his master was older, so he'd been distracted and had not really been listening to what Harry was joking about. . . if he left it until later, which he'd virtually decided to do, that too was risky as his master might then be upset with him for not telling him before. However, not listening to what Harry was saying was not a good survival technique either. He hastily pulled his mind back into order. "I'm sorry Master. I was thinking again and became distracted once more. I do apologise."

"You're very distracted about something tonight aren't you. Was it about me?"

"Yes Master"

"Okay. You'd better tell me exactly what you've been thinking about. You'll probably feel better then. Please tell me everything you were thinking about just then. I won't get upset with you."

Well there went his quandary. That answered his dilemma; there could be no waiting until later now. He had to tell Harry the prophesy right now. Severus sighed, he was annoyed with himself for being so obviously distracted that his master had noticed and ordered him to tell all.

"Harry, are you certain you wish me to tell you something that may upset you, no, almost certainly will upset you and make your life harder? Please think seriously about it. It may be better to change your mind and rescind your order."

Harry didn't think he'd given an order, but then realised that Severus was, as usual, interpreting his request as one. Bloody bond! But Severus would continue to be concerned about it, whatever it was, if he did not get it off his chest. Besides, now he knew Severus knew something he did not, he'd not rest until he knew or too, however bad it was. He particularly did not like to be left in the dark about anything that concerned himself or Severus.

Severus continued when Harry did not immediately respond, assuming, correctly, that Harry still wanted to find out what he'd been thinking about.

"It is not going to be any easy thing to tell you, nor will it be an easy thing for you to hear. It starts before you were born, when I belonged to your lady mother. It's quite a long story, perhaps, if you insist on hearing it, then rather than telling it while we're sitting here, we could sit at the table and order something to eat and have a cup of tea..."

"Oh I'm quite happy here. Put your arm around my shoulders. Talking in bed is what kids do on sleepovers they tell me, so we'll pretend that's what we're doing. Go on, you were saying it began before I was even born."

Severus placed his left arm around Harry, as requested. It was not quite as warm and comforting as Harry had thought it would be. Perhaps that was because the arm was resting very lightly across his shoulders, and not really resting any weight on them at all.

Severus started his tale again. "Yes, there was a prophesy that the headmaster and Voldemort both believe concerns you. Basically it stated that a child would be born as the seventh month dies who would be strong enough to defeat the...Voldemort, and neither that person or Voldemort can really live while the other survives, or at least that is our understanding of it.

Both you and Longbottom fitted the prediction in so far as your birth date but you were marked by the Da. . .Voldemort so it seems that according to the prophesy, you are the person who was, or will be, powerful enough to kill him.

"Was or will be? What does that mean?"

"That depends on whether one interprets the prophesy as having been completed when you defeated him as a baby, or if it means that it is still in the future. This is what the headmaster has told me of its wording:

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."

Harry thought for a moment. "It's a bit confusing. . .he's not really dead is he? At least that's what the headmaster thinks. . .but if he's not dead and I'm alive, then the prophesy isn't true is it? In any case, it does not actually say Voldemort, it could be some other dark lord, in fact some other dark lord who has marked someone who isn't me."

"In one sense you are correct about both of you being alive and therefore the prophesy must be wrong, however it could mean that while you are both surviving, neither of you can live to the fullest. As for if it refers to some other dark lord, then it is either a prediction of the future as such a dark lord has not arisen yet, or it refers to somewhere other than Britain, which is unlikely.

However, keep in mind that prophesies are seldom correctly interpreted before they are fulfilled, and also, judging from stories from the past, attempting to thwart a prophesy is often the very thing that makes whatever is foretold, come to pass. Personally, I have little faith in the existence of true prophesies, but unfortunately the Dark Lord believes it, has believed it from the moment his spy told him about it. That is why he tried to kill you when you were still a baby that is, before you could become powerful enough to beat him, or so he thought."

Harry gulped. "Well..." he said, uncertainty. "I'm not sure what to think about that...or feel about it...funny thing is, I'm not really surprised I suppose . The headmaster already told me that he wasn't really dead...he will come after me won't he? Yes, of course he will...I hope I get very powerful then, or lucky, or it had better be both I suppose...Maybe luck is my power he knows not. Okay, ... worshiping Fortuna might be a good move after all, seriously...and you had better train me too..." he trailed off, sounding sleepy and yawning. . . "Don't worry Sev, I knew most of it before really. . .goin' to sleep now."

Harry did not sound particularly shocked or frightened. Perhaps it all seemed unreal to him; he was probably in a state of shock. Puzzled, Severus gazed down at the boy; what the...?

He had gone to sleep! . . .No doubt the horror and fear would manifest itself later. . .perhaps. Yes, it must be shock...together with him not yet realising what a burden of responsibility that would put him under in the eyes of the wizarding world, should the prophesy become public knowledge.

He reflected that he'd had no need to worry about Harry being overwhelmed by the news, on the contrary, it seemed that he should have worried about his unnatural lack of reaction.

R


	11. Chapter 10 Sara's Letter

A/N As stated on the last so-called 'update' to this fic, from now on it will be merely a few one-shots or two-shots, rather than real chapters.

This part takes place just before Sara turns eleven and is due to start secondary school. This was originally intended to be the first chapter of a sequel .

I

Prologue ~ Preamble:

Almost from the beginning Severus had considered Harry to be an exemplary master; he had allowed Severus to use a wand and to continue teaching, but more importantly, to do so with almost no interference from Harry. He permitted Severus to make some money of his own by telling Remus Lupin that the price of the Wolfsbane that Severus supplies to him is to go to Severus, and not his master, and also told Severus that the same applied to the proceeds of any other potions he makes and sells. Severus' allowance has been increased so that now it is all that he earns as the Hogwarts Potion master, and in addition Harry also gives Severus new sets of good quality clothing twice a year.

Their relationship has been one of mutual respect and in severus' Case at least, something more than merely respect; by the time this part of the story starts, the respect has been amplified on Severus' part almost to a devoted reverence, due partly it must be admitted, to Harry's power—Severus having always been drawn to extremely powerful wizards—but even more to his gratitude for the fact that Harry has always treated him with respect and consideration, and insisted that everyone else did too. Although Severus has little patience with children, Harry's unfailingly kind and considerate nature has won his admiration and affection.

Due to his respect for his master, and to his previous training and experiences with less lenient masters, and with those masters' friends; also because of the nature of the slave bond which binds him, and the Wizarding world's laws that control slaves' behaviour, Severus has always been careful to be as meticulously respectful in manner and obedient to Harry as he would have been to a stricter master. Any desire, whim or even momentary thought or suggestion of Harry's has been, as the the bond insists, regarded as an order, and obeyed, but by now Severus would almost certainly behave that way even if it were not demanded of him by the bond.

Sara being with the Weasleys had not been without its problems, including, rather strangely, that Molly and Arthur have been kind to her and have regarded her almost as a second daughter. In Severus' opinion they have, as was his first master to him, been almost too kind, and so not prepared her for the reality of life as a slave. He thinks that allowing her to become used to thinking of herself, and to behaving almost as if she were a free witch, will cause her problems with the law, with free wizards, and with her bond when she is older. His own experience was of being brought up since a baby by an old gentleman who treated him as his son, but only as far as the limits set by Severus' slavery bond would allow, which meant that he did have some training in the proper behaviour as a slave, but, even so, it had still been a shock when he was owned by less good-natured people.

Hermione had not at first allowed Severus' and the generally held opinion that nothing could ever break the hold of the slave bonds, to influence her unduly, and, with Harry's blessing, had researched assiduously to find a way to break them, but up until the time this part of the story starts, with no result. In fact all her research so far had merely served to reinforce that what Severus had told her about their being absolutely unbreakable, was correct. Neither had an alternative avenue of research that Severus had suggested—to try to find ways to alter the bonds' requirements—had any results.

These days Severus only rarely admitted to himself that not only was he himself masochistic, there was also a small part of him that rather enjoyed seeing or hearing of others being corrected, so long as it was only comparatively mild correction; real cruelty appalled and disgusted him.

Severus, for the first time in his life, was not certain that he was particularly unhappy about Miss Granger's lack of success. He knew that even had he never been a slave, he would have still have felt the desire to kneel submissively before the power that Harry radiated; even though that would have been before a young man who was, it seemed, quite straight, and also Severus thought, would be repulsed by excessive adulation and submission. The slave bond however, allowed. . .no, it demanded, that Severus behave very humbly, that is, exactly in the way that Severus secretly wished to behave, and as it was required by his bond, his master could not reasonably object to it; Harry might dislike it, but he knew the bond demanded it, and Severus suspected that by now his master had come to expect it and might even feel the lack of it were it to cease.

However, Harry was, from the point of view of a masochist, a rather unsatisfactory master, as he was unfailingly kind, and only punished Severus when it was absolutely unavoidable. Not that Severus ever complained about that even to himself, as one of his two previous Malfoy masters had been viciously and unbearably cruel; Lucius had almost killed Severus on more than one occasion. After being owned by Lucius Malfoy, to be rescued and then owned by Harry's parents and later owned by the—in some ways—naive Harry had been a swift journey from Hell to Heaven.

...

Even after all this time Severus was still occasionally niggled by concern about how they had rescued Alice:, however so far there had been no consequences from their heavy dependence upon Pemberley's handling of the cover-up of Montgomery's death. He couldn't shake the feeling that there still might be some results from it, and they would not be pleasant. This foreboding had intensified after a conversation he'd had with Sara. Harry had asked him to check on how Sara's first visit to her mother had gone, so he'd flooed the Weasleys and asked to speak to her. What she'd told him had been disquieting. Apparently neither Alice nor...what had she said the elf's name was...Tizzy? Fizzy? Well, whatever ridiculous name she rejoiced in, neither she nor Alice had a high opinion of Pemberley, calling him self-aggrandising and possessed of few of the skills he seemed to believe he possessed. Sara herself disliked Pemberley for another reason, she believed him impertinent and disrespectful to Harry. Severus could only agree with her, however he believed that the impertinence and disrespect served to amuse Harry, so he had no real quarrel with that aspect of Pemberley's personality. However, that what Pemberley had told them about how he would ensure that there were no nasty consequences from Montgomery's fatal accident, might be more wishful thinking than fact, that did concern him.

He thought long and hard about telling his master of his concerns and in the end did broach the subject, gently, by saying to him, "Harry, I can't help that think we may have been too trusting of Pemberley's ability to arrange the body's removal and Alice and the Montgomery elves' transportation to the Kiln...if he is any less skilled and experienced than he thinks himself to be, the Aurors may..."

Harry interrupted him. "You worry too much! Look, Pemberley probably can't lie to me, not when it might result in me being hurt anyway, so I'm pretty sure it'll be alright. Anyway, it's too late now to do it any differently, so don't let's worry or talk about it now. If something happens we'll deal with it then."

And that, of course, had been that. Harry had, not realising it, ordered Severus not speak of it again. So all Severus could do was hope that nothing did go wrong. Until he could think of some way of improving the situation he would have no excuse even for asking if he could bring up the subject again. For now, all he could do was try and think of some way of solving any possible problems that might arise, and await developments, if any.

Chapter Eleven

Warning. This contains a childish scene between Harry and the gargoyle. Swear words, and of course the usual prattle and nonsense, but hopefully you're used to that by now.

Summary: Harry talks to McGonagall and then visits the Weasleys. He tells Professor McGonagall that Sara can be sent an acceptance letter and then he and Severus visit Sara. The three of them visit Diagon Alley.(Yes, I know, yet another shopping visit—as if there hadn't already been a previous one in this fic, let alone the fifty thousand of them we've read in other HP fictions. I must have been feeling self indulgent when I wrote it. Le sigh.)

...

During luncheon Harry had approached the staff table to ask Professor McGonagall if he might have a word with her, preferably sometime that day, and she had replied that she had a free period after 3pm. Consequently, at five past three he was seated in her office.

"What did you wish to ask me Harry?"

Harry hesitated a moment to gather his thoughts and then said, "Professor Snape told me that because the law doesn't recognise Sara as a person, you need me to ask you to send her letter to her. That's providing she's witch enough to get one of course, but I'm pretty sure she is."

Minerva was uncertain that allowing Sara to be educated at Hogwarts was a good idea.

"Are you sure that it's for the best that you let her be a student here? Her status would make her particularly vulnerable to bullying, and even were she not bullied, many of the students would look down on her merely because of what she is. To some of them a slave is hardly human, and as completely a 'non-person' as the law itself regards her. We shouldn't forget that those laws were made by wizard-kind and despite the best efforts of many of us, have not been repealed; so it seems that the majority of the Wizengamot must be of the opinion that there is nothing wrong with the laws, that slaves are indeed a lesser breed. That attitude is the majority view of our world, which of course includes the parents of students here, parents who have influenced their children's thinking...Would it not be best to have her home schooled? I'm certain Molly would like that too, as would Sara's mother."

"Yes, well, I have thought about that a lot too. I agree that both Molly and Alice certainly would like it, but I want Sara to have as good an education as any free person, and I don't think that Molly's quite up to educating her to that standard. Besides, Sara has a protection ring that the professor and I have charmed to inform us of any distress she experiences, so either of us can go to her immediately if anything, like that happens, or she will be brought to us. Well, it will now, we had a bit of a problem with it once, but it's fine now...anyway the professor will deal with anyone who dares to try and bully someone who is under my protection, and so will I."

Harry paused, and his magic flared. "Any such person, adult or student, will find out how bad an idea it is to bully a friend of mine...I detest bullies!"

Minerva blinked and shook herself. It was the general opinion of the Hogwarts staff that if they could bottle the frisson that went through everyone whenever Harry's magic did that, they would make a fortune. He was only sixteen. Merlin save them after he had his magical maturity.

Harry was regarding her with concern. "Are you all right professor? Was that me? Sorry. I just get rather angry whenever I think about anyone being bullied, so sometimes it's difficult to maintain control. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Sorry."

"No need to be sorry." She smiled. "I may be old but not too old to enjoy...er...it's a good feeling, so there's nothing to be sorry for, quite the reverse. Just don't do it too often or ... I apologise...please ignore a silly old woman; you were about to say something else?"

Harry was still looking at her uncertainly. He was not used to seeming her flustered, and was not sure what she was on about, but when his magic flared like it just had, some people said it gave them a funny feeling. He hoped he hadn't made her feel bad...

He hesitated then said, "are you sure you're okay?... Well..

alright then; all I was going to say was that Ron and Hermione will protect her as well. Also it'll be good for the other pupils, for everyone, to see that both Severus and Sara are just as talented and worthy of respect as any free person. With any luck it may make them question what their parents have told them, well, if they have any independent thoughts in their heads at all that is...

At least she should come here to start with. If it doesn't work out we can re-think it then. Professor Snape says she's very eager to go to Hogwarts and would be very disappointed not to.

Anyway, the professor himself managed to survive Hogwarts even without any special protections...though I suppose in some ways he's also been a far stronger person than she is, but at least Sara will always have someone here who's looking out for her."

Minerva gave a small nod of acceptance. "Very well. We shall see how it works out. Does Sara know yet that you will allow her to be enrolled?"

"Not for certain perhaps, but she must think it very likely. She has never managed to get up the courage to ask me directly, though everyone has been trying to encourage her to do that, but we've all encouraged her to study, and she's certainly done that. . . and I've given her some first and second year text books, so that has probably made her think it a strong probability that I intend her to come here. Actually, I was reluctant to tell her until she got the letter, or rather, until I knew for certain that she was going to get one. I take it that I'm right, and she is magical enough?"

"Oh yes, indeed she is. I didn't want to send her letter, in fact as Severus told you, I couldn't send it, until I was sure you'd let her come. I'll send it off today."

"Thank you professor. I'm going to have to visit the Weasleys soon; she will be fretting until she knows," he said and got to his feet.

"Harry...don't leave yet...wait a moment... I've been meaning to say this to you for quite a while now; I'm very impressed, all the staff are, at how humanely and maturely you've handled the situation with Severus, and the girl too of course, oh, and her mother as well. I have never seen Severus looking so well and relaxed as he has been these last few years. The straight white teeth and better robes help of course, but it's not only that, he looks much healthier and far less stressed than he used to until you became his master."

Harry, started to blush; accepting compliments was not his forte.

"Anyone would have..."

"No, 'anyone' would probably not 'have.' Most wizards, especially of your age, would have been corrupted by having such complete power over someone else. I would be very surprised if they had not, at least, succumbed to the temptation of giving them orders just because they could, and treating them as mere slaves. The students should be thanking you too. His teaching methods have become far more kindly than they were before you inherited him."

"I don't interfere with his teaching!...At least, I only did it once, to hint that he could perhaps be kinder to Neville, so it's not due to me."

"I didn't mean that you'd directed him to be less intimidating, but that because he is happier, because you have made him happier and less worried and stressed, he has softened his attitude to the students. We all should thank you for that. He does not favour Slytherin over Gryffindor quite so blatantly now either; if the recent lack of complaints about it are to be believed, perhaps not at all in fact."

"Um, well, yes, thank you. But it's the professor you should thank really... and I guess he doesn't think it's a good idea to be too harsh with Gryffindors any more, because I happen to be one," Harry laughed.

"Eventually you will have to learn to accept compliments gracefully you know," Minerva smiled.

"Er, yes...thanks professor. Well, I've got to visit the Weasleys like I said, and homework to do and...well, I'll see you later professor, thank you."

Harry escaped through her office door and hurried off. Minerva walked to the door and watched him walk away down the corridor, his cloak billowing in a way with which she was familiar. She smiled fondly. Severus must have taught him his secret charm for that.

She walked back to her desk and sank down into her chair. He was a remarkable young man. Right from the beginning, when he had been only eleven years old, his attitude towards Severus, in public at least, and she imagined, almost certainly in private too, was even more carefully respectful than it was to any other professor. Albus had remarked that he'd noticed that Harry always spoke to and of Severus as either 'the professor' or 'professor Snape', never as just 'Severus' or 'Sev', and he'd heard Harry angrily berate another student who had dared to speak about Severus less than respectfully. Pomona had once heard Ronald Weasley vehemently urge Harry to stop Severus giving him, Ron, a detention, and Harry had told Ronald that he certainly would not, and that he did not _ever_ intend to interfere with how Severus taught.

Severus had, as all slavery bonds and the laws decreed, always to address and refer to Harry as 'Master' when in public, but it was obvious that as far as possible Harry tried to avoid situations in which Severus would have to use the word. Perhaps that was partly due to Harry's own embarrassment at being so addressed, but Severus had told Albus that he appreciated his master trying to spare him any public humiliation.

...

"Do you think my Master will let me go to Hogwarts?" Sara asked Ginny for the third or forth time. Not only had she asked Ginny several times over the previous months, even years, but also asked both Severus and Molly. The only person who could have told her definitely what was going to happen was Harry, but she did not want to ask him, not only because she did not think she should ask him, but also because she would rather not know for certain and still have hope, than ask him and be told 'no'. However, perhaps the main reason was her fear of him; the very thought of asking him directly was probably still beyond her courage.

Both Molly and Severus had offered to ask Harry for her, but she had asked them not to do that.

"Really Sara! How many times have I told you that that is up to Harry, and it's not for me to say or even guess about that. Harry or professor Snape will let you know in due course," Ginevra replied in her 'I am three years older than you and therefore your superior' voice.

Sara looked down, although she did not apologise; Ginevra might become her mistress in the future if she married Master Harry, as she often used to tell Sara she would, but she was not her mistress yet, and until she was her mistress Sara was darned sure she wasn't going to act exactly as if she already were.

Ginny chose to interpret Sara's lowered eyes as respect for someone older, and relented slightly. "I can tell you this much; I heard mum say that if you get a Hogwarts' letter, then that means Harry must have given permission for it to be sent to you, as they would need his permission before they could send you one, and that would mean he is going to let you go... You haven't got it yet though have you?" she added rather cruelly.

By now Ginevra had become quite fond of Sara. She would have let herself be very fond of her or even love her, had Sara belonged to anyone other than Harry. Despite what she had often told Sara, she was not as certain as she would have liked to have been that she would ever marry Harry, in fact not at all certain. As a small child she had believed that was to be her future and she still clung to it. It was almost as if, were she to still believe it, and believe it _hard_ enough, it might still come true - a sort of Wish Magic. But even if he did marry her, Sara would always be there, part of the household, and always available if Harry wanted her, and Ginevra held no illusions that she would ever be able to persuade Harry to sell Sara or give her away, as Sara's future would be too uncertain if he did that, and to give Ginevra her due, she would probably not have ever succumbed to the temptation to try to make him sell,her—and if she had tried, and Harry had agreed, then she would have been disappointed in him.

As Ginevra often did, she consoled herself with the thought that Harry could not possibly ever be attracted to Sara as she was such a plain, dark haired, pale faced, long nosed thing. Whenever she'd had that thought she was wracked with guilt, and, as she did this time, tried to make up for it:

"Do you want to try out some of that muggle make up Bill bought for me? How about we practice using it? ... It's harder to make look good than beauty charms, but at least we can use it when we can't use a wand during the hols... you can borrow it for when Harry visits and you want to look nice for him," she added with self-consciously virtuous generosity.

"Master hasn't given me permission to use beauty charms or make-up, nor has Mrs Weasley." Sara was tempted, but reluctant to possibly incur her master's or the bond's wrath.

"Don't be such a wimp! They haven't forbidden it though have they? Besides, this is muggle make-up, they probably don't even know what that is," Ginevra added. Sara shivered and shook her head.

"Okay, if you're such a wuss about it we can ask mum."

Sara could not help thinking that Ginny would not be so cavalier about it were she the one subject to her bond's strictures. Indignant, she was about to say so, however they were interrupted by a call from downstairs; "Sara! Come down please dear. You have a visitor."

Sara, followed closely by Ginny—who was determined she was not going to miss out if the caller was who she thought it might be—ran down the stairs, only slowing to a more lady-like pace for the bottom flight.

Both her master and Severus were waiting for her. All Sara's attention was on Harry; she did not even notice Molly quietly leaving the room.

Ginny walked around Sara and greeted Harry. "Hello Harry, Professor Snape. Great to see you. I thought that..."

Harry interrupted her rather distractedly, "Hello Ginny. Good to see you too, but I need to speak to Sara privately for a few minutes, so would you mind...?" He gestured vaguely towards the door; very rudely in Ginevra's opinion, since it was her home not his. However she nodded curtly, and walked out, but not without casting a mingled pitying and disgusted look at Sara who was kneeling on the floor before her master.

Harry signalled her to stand up, but as Sara had her eyes, very properly, on the floor, she could not see him. "Sara, please stand up. Oh, and look at me too. It is difficult to talk to someone who is looking at the floor...no, please don't apologise, I'm not upset."

"Thank you Master."

"You can call me Harry when it is just us. Remember?"

"I am sorry Harry. Do you wish to punish me for forgetting?"

"Of course not. Not for that! You can call me what you like when we're alone anyway. Severus prefers to call me master almost all of the time, don't you?" Harry asked, turning towards him.

"Yes Master. Yes Sara, I do. It prevents me from forgetting and familiarly calling our master 'Harry' at times when it is forbidden, when there is anyone else with us. I suggest that it would be safer for you, with our master's permission, to follow the same practice."

Sara looked at her master questioningly again.

"Yes, of course, if that's what you want to call me. I don't like it exactly, but I've got used to it with the professor...well almost used to it." He answered her unspoken question.

"Thank you Master," she replied gratefully.

"I think you might be waiting for this," Harry smiled, and held out a letter with the Hogwarts' seal prominently displayed upon it.

Sara took it slowly, reverently, and boldly looked at up at him. Obviously he meant to permit her to go to Hogwarts, but she needed his verbal confirmation.

"Yes. I always intended you to go if you got a letter," he smiled. "Make yourself comfortable on that sofa while we talk, you too Severus." Harry seated himself on a straight backed armless chair as he spoke.

Both servants waited until Harry had seated himself before sitting themselves down.

Harry continued to talk. "We all think, that is Professor Snape, Hermione and I, we have been thinking about how best to protect you from some of the nasty Slyth... er...sorry Severus...from some of the nastier students. . .and of course they can be from any house. Severus tells me that he's adjusted your ring so that you can call us, him or me—or Hermione, if we're not available—whenever you feel at all threatened, and I do mean even the slightest tiniest bit, threatened. That includes anyone attempting to bully you or saying anything nasty to you or about you. I hate bullies, and so I'll be very annoyed if you don't let me or the professor know whenever anything like that happens so that we can do something about it.

Of course, if you're in the middle of a situation like that, you are to either call for me or twist the ring to take you to me, just as you did the time when Fudge assaulted you. Those responsible will answer to me, just as did the Minister," he said, deliberately letting his magic flare, and making Severus and Sara shiver in response to it. "You do understand that this is an order, a strict order, don't you?"

Sara inclined her head. "Your will, Master. It shall be as you say My Lord."

Severus was hard pressed not to kneel, head to the floor. With difficulty he remained sitting; his master was not addressing him after-all.

As time went on Harry had been gradually falling more and more into the role of a master, a role Severus that found himself responding to on a fundamental level, a level sometimes beyond that demanded by his bond. It was difficult to believe that Harry was only sixteen...by the time he was an adult... well... best not to think about that just yet perhaps, it would be several long years before... he guiltily returned his attention to what Harry was saying to the girl.

"... but they have given me some of their 'prank' items for you to use for your protection. They think of you as a second sister I think."

Over the years since he had inherited Severus and had then bought Sara, Harry had begun to understand the brain-washed mind-set of someone who had been subject from birth, no, from conception, to a slavery bond, so he added slyly, "I have made it very plain to everyone at Hogwarts, everyone, and that even includes the Headmaster, that I will not tolerate anyone being less than respectful to Severus, and they will soon learn, if they are too stupid not to have worked it out already, that that applies to you too. So, just remember that anyone, student or teacher or anyone else for that matter, in the school or out of it, who treats you with any lack of respect is actually treating me that way too. You would not like that I think?"

"No Master, I would not!"

"Good... and when there are other people around you must always do what I do, and call Severus either Professor Snape or 'the professor' because it's important that everyone knows that we both respect him as a learned and important man, and as the powerful wizard that he is—and that everyone else does too. Your bonds are just extremely unfortunate accidents of birth, they do not mean that you are worth less than other people, whatever the legal view of it happens to be, or even whatever the bonds themselves try to make you think . When you're not in public then it is up to Severus what you may call him, but you must always be respectful to him. Do you understand? "

"Yes Master. And it will be easy really, as I really do respect him."

"Good."

Severus was delighted by his master's compliments, but was a little less enthusiastic about his saying to Sara that they had the same worth as other people. Not that he did not think it true, he did; he was well aware that he was better educated, far more intelligent, and stronger magically than most free wizards, and Sara, though plain, was a bright child, and she had strong magic. However he thought it important, for Sara's own protection, to ensure that she did not think herself equal to a free witch, and so to start behaving like one and consequently run afoul both of her bond and the law.

Ah well, Sara was no fool, she never had been, and she was older now, she would understand that though their master was almost ridiculously kind hearted and often naïve, she must never let that make her forget the behaviour legally and magically required of her. Severus himself could quickly set her straight if she started to forget.

"Severus and I are going to take you to Diagon Alley today for your wand and some school supplies. I know it's short notice but can you be ready to go very shortly? What you are wearing is fine, but you might want to put on a warmer cloak. It's cold out."

"Yes Master. May I go and get it Master?"

Harry waved her off. "Of course."

Once Sara was beyond the door of the living room her face broke into a wide grin. She was to attend Hogwarts! She was to get her own wand! Her master was not only allowing it–and Mrs Weasley had told her how dreadfully expensive that was—but he was also concerned that she would have a happy time there! She would study so hard! She would make him proud of her despite the unfortunate fact that she was, at best, as even her own mother had told her, very plain looking. (Minister Fudge, when he had... had told her that she was ugly and should be grateful that he... but her master and Professor Snape had told her to try not to think about that horrible day any more... and nothing was going to spoil this special day for her, so she determinedly put those memories aside...) Ginny was going to be so jealous! Her master _himself_ was taking her to Diagon Alley! With those happy thoughts she raced upstairs to her room.

Ginny was sitting on the top step of the second flight of stairs, her chin resting in one hand. As Sara approached she looked up. "What's the big hurry? Is Harry still here or have they left already?"

"Er."

"Well? He's gone, and not even said goodbye to me I suppose. Nor to mum either, she got sent off like I did!"

"No, my master is still here... If you go downstairs I'm sure he'll say goodbye to you and to Mrs Weasley. He and professor Snape are going to take me to get my school things. He told me to get a warm robe as it's cold out."

"Oh look at you! All starry eyed 'cos your precious master is taking you to ..." Ginevra suddenly stood up, walked to her bedroom door and put her hand on the door knob. She turned back to Sara with an apologetic look on her face.

"Oh, ignore me. I'm feeling... well, anyway, I'm not the one to talk when it comes to Harry. Have a nice shopping trip, or whatever."

"That's okay. I... Aren't you going to come down and see us off? ... Perhaps, if you ask him, my master will let you come with us."

Ginny was tempted... But to have to ask if she could tag along with them? No, she didn't think so! "No thanks. I've homework I've got to do that I've been neglecting."

Sara hesitated; she could see that Ginny really wanted to go with them, and she wanted to help, or rather, felt that she should help, but did not quite know how to do that in a way her master would not dislike.

"Do you want me to say something to my master? Perhaps I could say 'Ginny needs to do some shopping too,' no... no... maybe not, but I could say that you were on the staircase and you asked me why I was rushing–and that would remind him about you."

Ginny was enraged. It was unexpected and sudden, and she wasn't even sure what had triggered it - it was not just Sara trying to be all selfless and noble by offering to share her time with Harry.

"No! Don't you dare say anything! He'll think... No. I have much better things to do than traipse around after Harry Bloody Potter and his entourage while he acts All-Generous-Lord-Bountiful to his staff!"

Sara felt like slapping Ginny for her disrespect of her master, but swiftly put that idea aside; it really was not a good idea to slap someone who might be one's future mistress. She stood there for a moment, staring at Ginny who was still clutching the door knob, and then she started to grin; Ginny's face was starting to give her flaming red hair serious competition.

Sara made a conscious effort to be amused rather than offended... "Lord Harry Bountiful huh? Well, you could come with us and practice being Lady Ginevra Bountiful."

"I can't can I? I have no effing money to be bountiful with do I?"

"Well, you could get tips on how to 'bountify' properly for later on. Take notes and stuff."

The red colour in Ginevra's face had drained away as quickly as it had appeared. She grinned. "You idiot. You're impossible to remain angry with... Yeah, I can see me now: following Harry around like Colin Creevy but with a lecture board and quill instead of a camera."

Sara's face suddenly paled as she realised that her master would be wondering what was taking her so long. "My master! He will wonder ... Oh, please Miss Ginny, let me past you... I have to get my winter cloak!"

Ginevra stood aside and called after Sara as she bolted up the next flight of stairs to get to her room, "Harry will understand! He's not a monster!"

Sara rushed into her room, grabbed her cloak from the small wardrobe and rushed out again and ran back down the stairs and past Ginevra. "No, he's not, but _you_ don't understand; he's my _master_!"

Ginevra stood there, looking after her retreating figure. _No, I don't suppose I do understand, not really, you poor thing; I guess you were trained since you were a baby to be instantly obedient and submissive to almost anyone in authority, let alone to your master. Heck you're even like that with me most of the time. You're better than you were when you first got here, but still too quiet and obedient._

Those thoughts led Ginny to remember a conversation she'd had with her mother not all that long after Sara had come to live with them. Ginny had been home from school, recovering after He Who Must Not Be Named had possessed her in the Chamber of Secrets. She had already noticed, it had been difficult not to, that her parents were stricter with Sara than they had ever been with her or her brothers. Then, one evening, not all that long after Sara had come to live with them, she had seen Sara emerge from her father's study. Sara had not noticed Ginny, who had been sitting in an armchair reading or trying to read, and had walked right past her and up the stairs. It had been obvious that she was crying.

Ginny would have assumed that her father had just given Sara a 'telling off' about something, as he sometimes did with Ginny herself, and that Sara had over-reacted by crying, except that as Sara went upstairs she had had both hands behind herself, rubbing her behind. That had shocked Ginny. She had never ever had a spanking and the only time she had ever heard about her brothers ever getting one was that time the twins had tried to trick Ron into making a magical promise of some sort. So she wondered what dreadful thing Sara could have done to merit one, and, being curious, had thought that she would ask her mum later, or maybe ask Sara herself, because she might be more likely to tell her than her mother would, but then, later, she had forgotten about it.

However one evening a few months after the incident, and bored with the book she had been reading, she decided to have an early night and walked upstairs and went into her room. Then she decided to have a shower first, so opened her bedroom door, and hearing a noise from downstairs, she looked down to see her mother coming out of Sara's room. Molly had a cane in her hand. When she saw Ginny she pulled her hand and cane back behind her robes. Then, seeing that Ginny had already seen it and was standing staring at her with a shocked expression on her face, she said, "Come back downstairs with me. I'll try to explain."

What followed was an explanation of the bond Sara was under and how, as a result, her mother and Arthur, as Harry's representatives, had to punish Sara for any behaviour that the bond prohibited. If they did not then the slave bond would, and be far more cruel in doing it too. The whole thing had made Ginny feel rather sick. From then on she had felt very sorry for Sara and had started to have a little more understanding of why she was usually such a goody-goody...

She already knew that Harry had been forced by his conscience to buy Sara to protect her, because if he had not, then she was to be sold to just anyone who had enough money, that is, possibly even a Death Eater. But still, that the boy who had always been her hero, and who had rescued her so dramatically from Tom Riddle in The Chamber Of Secrets, was also Sara's owner and who had, according to her mother, insisted that she and Arthur be quite strict with Sara, had been difficult to come to terms with. Okay, it had been explained that it was the lesser of two evils, and Harry had no other ethical option, but even so, it didn't fit well with her view of Harry, and it was so very unfair to poor Sara.

Ever since then Ginny had been conflicted; she had been rather envious of Sara because she would almost certainly live with Harry later on, but also extremely sorry for her because she would always be totally dependent on Harry for every little thing, plus of course having to be obedient to him all the time and never doing anything much without asking his permission first. These conflicting feelings warred in Ginny with the result that sometimes she was sharp tongued and nasty to Sara and at other times she went out of her way to be nice to her. (Usually the 'nice to her' part was only a few minutes or seconds after a caustic remark had made Sara look at the floor and so made Ginny feel like a rotten bitch.)

Ginevra watched Sara run downstairs, and momentarily had the urge to follow her, but then changed her mind, entered her bedroom and flung herself down on the bed. If Harry wanted her to go with them—but after all, why on Earth would he want her to tag along with them?—then he could call her down and invite her along himself.

Unfortunately for Ginny, Harry did not do that. About a quarter of an hour later, having heard nothing apart from a faint shouted call shortly after Sara had gone downstairs, a call that might have been 'goodbye Gin', Ginny ventured downstairs again. Molly was sitting and knitting one of the many pullovers she always knitted for Christmas presents. She looked up and smiled as Ginny came into the room.

"You know Ginevra, you really should let me teach you to knit. It's very relaxing, and it is always good to have something productive to do on rainy days."

Ginny, without even trying, off the top of her head, could think of half a dozen things that she'd rather do than learn to knit. "Er, no thanks Mum. Not at the moment...I have to do my homework now... Harry and Sara have already left then?" It was obvious that they'd gone, but she asked anyway.

"Yes dear. Was there something you'd wanted to say to Harry or Severus? Then you should have come back down with Sara."

"No, nothing...just to say goodbye. When's lunch?"

Before they left The Burrow, Severus had applied a quick glamour charm to change the colour of Harry's eyes to a nondescript greyish blue and his hair to a dark blonde, and had then lengthened it to fully cover his scar, and then did the same to alter his own hair and eyes to grey.

Harry looked at him. "Er, Severus, I don't want to offend you or anything...I mean, I really like your Roman nose, it makes you look as if you are one of the aristocracy, but it is so distinctive that anyone seeing it will instantly be reminded of their old Potions Master. Perhaps you should change it, and the shape of your face a bit too."

"Thank you Master... Is this better?" Severus changed his nose to a small straight one, and made his face look fatter.

"Oh yes. That looks... well...it looks bloody awful actually, but no-one will ever recognise you now though."

Harry noticed that Sara had been looking rather puzzled so he explained; "If I look as I do normally, we are likely to be overwhelmed by people who either want to pat me on the back or hex me in it... And Severus, well, if they see him, they might guess that the person with him is me, because even if some of them don't know why, many of them know we are often together. We don't need to alter your appearance as no-one, apart from a few close friends, knows our relationship yet. In future we may need to put a glamour charm on you too."

Sara nodded and replied, "Thank you for explaining Master... but... how am I to refer to you? When I have to say 'Master' won't they guess?"

"That's a good point, but probably not; all they'll know is our relationship, not who we are. Although slaves are not all that common, there are still enough of them so that people will just assume that I am some young master being escorted by his family's servants." Harry then turned to Severus. "Okay, 'let's went'."

Both Sara and Severus glanced sideways at him, obviously a little taken aback by his sudden lack of basic grammar, at which Harry laughed and added. "Oh Sancho, don't you and Pancho worry, it's a muggle thing, a very old muggle thing."

Severus twisted his lips to approximate a smile. "I see Master...Please hold my arm so that I can Side-Along Apparate you, and you too Sara, and I'll do my best not to splinch either of you..."

"Ah, yes, splinching, now that's a Wizard thing I could do without... Sara, if you haven't been Side-Alonged before it might make you feel a bit sick, but that'll soon pass. Just hold on tightly to Severus though, just don't let go; keep as close to him as possible, and everything will be fine as he is very powerful, and he was only joking about the splinching, Severus hasn't had an accident yet and he's been doing it for years."

So, Severus Side-Along Apparated both his master and Sara to a side road not far from the Leaky Cauldron. Sara was not impressed with the sensation; she looked pale and green.

Harry peered at her in concern. "Severus, have you got anything with you to make her feel better?"

"Yes Master." Severus felt around his waist and beneath his outer robes for a moment, then, having found what he was looking for, handed a small sealed glass vial to Sara with the instruction to put the whole thing in her mouth and bite down on it. Sara looked at Harry, and he nodded in confirmation, so she bit it as instructed. Still half expecting shattered glass despite Harry's nod, she was pleasantly surprised when the glass, or whatever it was, merely disappeared, leaving a couple of tablespoonfuls of potion in her mouth. It tasted foul, but Sara was used to the awful taste of potions, and she swallowed it quickly. The relief to her stomach was immediate; apparently the professor made excellent potions.

"Better?" Harry enquired. "You certainly look a more healthy colour."

"Yes Master! Thank you!"

She turned to Severus. He smiled at her, or rather, he thought he did, actually the only hint that he was smiling was that the skin around his eyes crinkled. He also inclined his head slightly to show her that he agreed with what she was, obviously, thinking about their master; that he had not only noticed she felt sick, which was surprising in itself, but also had bothered to do something about it. Their master was unlike any other master she had ever heard of. She smiled back at Severus, and then, realising that Harry had turned away to walk to the Leaky Cauldron, hurried to follow him, as did the professor.

AN This is continued in the next chapter, which will be up very soon.


	12. Ch10 part 2, Alley & Gargoyle

Chapter 10, part 2

Harry walked quickly through the Leaky, and used his wand to open the gate to the magical alley. An unknown young wizard, followed by an older man and yung girl, was of little or no interest to the patrons of the Leaky Cauldron, nor to the people in Diagon Alley.

Harry said nothing to either Severus or Sara, but after a short while it was obvious to Severus that they were heading for Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions.

Harry smiled inwardly at the surprise Sara was going to get, before he remembered that he had given Sara new robes before, so she wouldn't be surprised by the quality of these new ones.

Madam Malkin herself was not in the shop. A portly older shop assistant with carefully drawn single-line black eyebrows and a Cupid's bow heavily lipsticked mouth, was waving her wand to shorten some robes that the young wizard in front of her had apparently bought 'off the peg'. She turned for a moment, looked at Harry, and not recognising anyone important, turned back again to the young man.

Harry said nothing. The woman had not noticed Severus or Sara, and Harry gestured that they should stand back against the wall to wait, while he himself leaned against the counter, and waited patiently until she had finished, and the boy had paid for his robes and left the shop.

However just as the woman was about to turn to Harry and ask what he wanted, other potential customers walked in. They were the Zambinis, mother and son, and they were far richer looking customers than was Harry in the robes he'd changed to appear to be of medium quality, and the shop assistant turned to serve the Zambinis first.

Severus was about to stride forward to do something about that, but a discreet hand signal from Harry stopped him. Harry leaned back, slightly smiling , and again waited. Severus itched to do something, but pleading looks at Harry just received a small head shake.

As Mme Zambini and Blaise finished their purchases and then walked out of the shop, Harry took a step towards the witch, let his magic flare so that the racks of robes and windows rattled and then passed his hand over his face to reveal who he was. "I think that before someone else walks in, you might find it advisable to serve me," he said softly.

The woman, her face paling almost as white as her apron, started to mutter apologies and that she had not known who he was, but that annoyed Harry even more, and he cut her off. "Who I am should have nothing to do with it! You should serve people in the order they come into the shop. I shouldn't have had to tell you my name before I got served. Either you personally are both rude and a snob, or you are very badly trained...Where is Madam Malkin?"

"She is supervising in the sewing room Sir."

"Go and get her."

"Sir, there is no need. I do apologise. I can..."

"No. Just get her."

"Yes Sir. I won't be a moment." She rushed out through a door at the back of the room and only seconds later Madam Malkin came in, followed rather apprehensively by the shop assistant.

"I do apologise Mr... " she stopped on realising that as Harry was disguised he probably did not wish her to say his name, and changed what she was about to say to... "'Sir'. Henriette did not realise..."

Harry interrupted her. "That is exactly what I'm objecting to! Who I am or how much I own should have nothing to do with how soon I'm served. I came in after the young student and before the Zambinis, so I should have been served in that order too."

"Ah yes of course Sir... I shall instruct..."

"I blame you, not Henriette. She was probably only following your instructions."

Mme Malkin was about to apologise again, but once again Harry interrupted her. He had calmed down a little, and he smiled slightly.

"You know, if your establishment was in muggle London and you ignored the worst dressed customers, then you would sometimes be ignoring members of the old aristocracy, some of whom are very rich. They don't care what they wear as their place in society is assured and unquestioned. They don't have to prove anything to anyone, and so are almost as likely to turn up in their old half-worn-out gardening clothes as in good looking ones."

"Is that so Sir? How interesting," Mme Malkin said insincerely, and faking fascination.

"Yes, the Wizarding world seems to be more like what we hear of American muggle society in that way...though that may just be rumour...that they think you have to prove how important you are by what you wear. It's very nouveau riche behaviour of us wizards."

Mme Malkin was thinking that it was all very well for the wealthy, and extremely famous, Mr Potter to say that customers should be served on a first-come first-served basis, but he didn't have to deal with angry pure-bloods, be they nouveau riche or real aristocrats, who thought they should always be served first. She must have a word with that fool Henriette though, and remind her to always look at people's wrists; despite his disguise, Henriette should have noticed that the young man was accompanied by two slaves and anyone rich enough to own one, let alone two slaves was extremely wealthy, whatever he looked like...

Mr Potter seemed to have calmed down now though; the walls no longer bulged so alarmingly and the windows were now rattling far more quietly than they had been a few moments ago... Her shop was no longer in danger. She hastened to ask what he desired.

"My friends here," Harry gestured towards his servants, who both stepped forward, "each need three full sets of new robes and underthings for the coming season in a draughty Scottish castle. The professor needs clothes and new protective robes suitable for his work as a potions master and school professor and Sara needs school robes, casual wear too, and they will both need a set of dress robes. I think you'll know from my previous orders the quality of material I require for them. I'll need a new set or two myself, but not dress robes as I only got some recently. Oh, I nearly forgot, do you have Percy, George, Fred, Ron and Ginny Weasley's measurements?"

"Yes, indeed I do Sir," she said eagerly. She could overlook or even forgive his quick and bad temper, as the Boy Who Lived was becoming one of her best customers.

"Then please make a set of school robes and a set of dress robes, and undergarments for each set, for each of them, and send them to the Weasleys in gift wrapping that shows no indication of who sent them...and charge them to me of course."

Harry knew that Ron and his siblings would almost certainly know who the robes were really from, but this way he could maintain that he knew nothing about it and they wouldn't be able to refuse the gifts . The amount he paid monthly into Arthur's vault to cover any expenses they incurred by looking after Sara, was generous. (It was not as much as he would have liked to give them, but was the most they would accept.) However, he knew that despite that, Molly and Arthur still often found it hard to find money to cover all the expenses of their large family.

...

Although Harry's anger had cooled, he was still feeling rather put out by what had happened in Mme Malkin's. He tried to shrug it off though, as he did not want to spoil Sara's enjoyment of the day. He turned to her as they left the shop and said quietly, "Okay Sara, I suppose we had better get you your wand and other supplies eh?"

She smiled at him excitedly. "Oh yes please Master."

He grinned back at her, "Okay, Olivander's first I think... here," he handed her a small draw-string bag that clinked, "you can pay for it yourself, and keep the change.

Sara took the bag gratefully and said, "Thank you Master." She could tell that there was far more than the seven or eight galleons she would need for the wand, and was pleased that it might give her the opportunity of showing her master how responsible with money she could be.

Harry turned again and led them towards the wand shop. As they entered Harry and his servants shivered from the ambient magic that permeated the ancient shop. Sara gazed up, and up, at the wand-crowded pigeon holes covering the walls. As was his wont—he did so greatly enjoy its effect on his clients—Olivander emerged silently from a hidden door and spoke softly from behind them.

"Ah, it's young Sara Fitzmontgomery; I expected your arrival soon and am delighted to see I was correct that your master is permitting you to have a wand."

When they turned towards him he smiled approvingly at Harry. "I believe your wand is happier in its master than was its brother in its master. It is still serving you well I trust?"

Harry and Severus were puzzled how Olivander knew,well, apparently knew at least, about Sara's parentage—that was something about which they themselves had been uncertain. Not for the first time, Severus wondered about Olivander's heritage. He had looked like an old man, a very old man, when Severus had been a child, and Severus' then owner had told him that Olivander had looked exactly the same when he was a child and even when his _grandfather_ had been a child.

Harry shrugged. "Yes, thanks, it's a great wand. But we are here to get Sara's wand."

Olivander nodded, and handed Sara the first of several wands, all beautiful, and none of which gave more than a few sadly dispirited looking sparks when she held them.

She started to look very worried so Harry reassured her, "Don't worry, there will be one that suits you. Sometimes it takes ages to find the right one; it did with me too."

Sara nodded. "Thank you Master," and held her hand out for the next wand candidate. It was not until Mr Olivander handed her one made of sapient pearwood with a Norwegian Ridgeback heartstring core that Sara smiled at the warmth suffusing her and the sparks emitted from the wand resembled multicoloured fireworks.

"A powerful wand indeed, and one of only thirteen that I've ever made with sapient pearwood. It has always been of the rarest woods, and this one is the last of its kind, as of course the pearwood it is no longer available since the last portal closed. It makes the most faithful of all wands and only ever chooses a wizard or witch who also possesses that quality. With that and the strength of the dragon heartstring it will be strong in your defence." He turned to Harry; "that will be eleven galleons please..."

As Olivander spoke Harry gave a quick short shake of his head and indicated Sara with his eyes. Olivander smoothly turned his gaze to her.

Sara was shocked by the price."Eleven galleons? I thought they cost about seven?"

"Indeed Miss Fitzmontgomery, they usually cost about eight or nine galleons but the pearwood was expensive and is difficult to work with. I assure you, eleven galleons is barely over cost price."

Sara looked questioningly at Harry who gave a small nod, so she carefully counted out eleven galleons, slowly placing them one by one on the counter as if reluctantly saying goodbye to personal friends.

Harry was amused but also felt guilty, and so he leaned over and whispered to her, "Don't worry, I'll give you some more to make up for the extra expense."

Which of course made _her_ feel guilty, and she placed the last two down in a rush, and was about to protest that giving her more was not necessary, but Harry placed his hand on her shoulder and herded her out of the shop, saying "Thank you Mr Olivander," as he did so.

He was appalled that he had never thought to give Sara an allowance; how on Earth had he never thought of that? Perhaps Mrs Weasley had been giving her pocket money, but even if she had, she should not have had to do so. He would have to speak to Molly about it as soon as possible, and reimburse her if necessary, and also start giving Sara an allowance. She would certainly need some pocket money when she started at Hogwarts.

Putting that aside for the moment, as they had reached Flourish and Blott's bookshop, he said, "Sara, if you've got your list, please go in and find the books you need and any three or four others you fancy. Just put them on the counter but don't, I repeat, do not, pay for them with the money I gave you, for one thing I don't think it will be enough... I want to talk to Severus for a moment but I'll come in in a few minutes, probably well before you've finished gathering your books, but if not, just wait for me."

As Sara entered the bookshop Harry spoke to Severus. "Please make sure to remind me later to talk to you about Olivander and Sara—he puzzles me, and his surname for Sara is a bit of a worry—but meanwhile, please go to Slug and Jiggers and get Sara whatever she needs for first year potions." He fossicked in an inside pocket, and produced a Gringotts'bank card, which he handed to Severus."Use this...I meant to give it you at least a fortnight ago but I keep forgetting...the one you have is still usable for your vault of course, but this is for one of my vaults for whenever you need to buy anything for me. Just tap you wand to it for here, and use the code number you'll think of when you hold it, if you're in a muggle area...well...actually, it's just like yours so you know all about it anyway, so I don't know why I'm telling you all this... I'm rabbiting on again and Hermione isn't here to stop me... I'll shut up now... Oh, except that Sara and I will meet you in the pet shop. Okay?"

"Ye Master," and Severus nodded then turned away to do as ordered.

Harry entered the bookshop and looked around for Sara. He soon saw her as she was looking along some books on the front row of bookcases, two books under her left arm and holding her new wand carefully in her right hand. _I forgot to get her a wand holster, blast, we'll have to go back to Olivander's._ Harry did not wish to approach her as he thought she would be more inclined to chose something she really wanted if he was not looking over her shoulder and passing judgement on her taste, so he stepped over to one of the sidewalls of the shop and waited.

Sara felt ill at ease. Her master's presence tended to frighten her,= so his absence should have made her feel better, but instead she felt quite nervous and wished he'd hurry up and come into the shop with her. Not only did she feel vulnerable with so many free wizards about, but also, how was she to make sure she was selecting books, the extra ones he'd said she was to get, that he would approve of? Anyway, she hadn't found all her text books yet. Perhaps he would come in before she had to find the extras... She stepped back–she had been standing very close to the shelves—and turned, intending to search further along the bookcase, but as she turned she tripped on a book someone had dropped on the floor and staggered back into the bookcase, making it rock unsteadily and several books fall from it and to the floor. She bent down to pick them up and someone bent down beside her to help.

Whoever it was also hastened to apologise. "Oh, Sorry! My fault, I dropped the book that tripped you ..." At which point he noticed the tattoo on Sara's wrist. "Why...you... Gods! I'm apologising to a slave! Get out of my way you little slut..." The late middle aged and bald man straightened up, and Sara also stood back up and started to apologise, for annoying him she supposed, not that she quite understood what it was she had done wrong, but her mind was more on how angry her master would be with her for upsetting a free person than it was on anything else. The man stepped forward, and Sara stepped back out of his way, but not quickly enough, and he raised his arm back to slap her, only to find it stuck in an upright position above his shoulder.

"I'd reconsider that if I were you," a cold voice advised.

"She's no lady, she's nothing but a slave, look at her wrist if you don't believe me—and mind your own business. Release my arm you young fool."

"Wrong answer... I know what she is, and slave or not, she is a lady, and people who hit ladies in my presence usually find out what it is to become one...when I rearrange their genitalia for them, so you can consider yourself let off lightly by this...your arm will remain stuck above your head for a few weeks, which should remind you, you ill-bred ignoramus, that a true gentleman treats all women, whatever their degree, the same way he would treat the queen."

Bertrand Rankin was furious. First he had lowered himself by being polite to a slave and then when he had tried to rectify that, some young idiot had taken him to task for his behaviour. Belatedly, and with some difficulty since he had to extract it from a right side pocket with his left hand, he grabbed his wand, and thrust it toward Harry. "I'll have you arrested for assault! Stupefiy! Incarcerus!" he shouted...then looked at his wand disbelievingly and then when nothing happened, shook it as if it might have a kink in it that could be shaken out, and tried again, but again with no result.

Harry grinned. "Oh dear. Your wand seems to be broken. What a pity. Never mind, somehow I think it will mend itself at the same time your arm starts to work again." Harry turned towards Sara but Rankin, red, enraged, rushed at him, his wand pointed as if to stab him with #it. Harry merely stepped aside, and the man crashed headfirst into the shop's glass front door behind Harry, and fell to the floor. He had knocked himself out. It was not until the crash that any of the shop employees did anything, then one of them ran over to assess the man's condition, but then, uncomfortably aware of the wizard who had used some unknown and wandless magic to protect himself, and had beaten the man, he decided to leave him on the floor for a little longer.

Harry looked searchingly at Sara, trying to assess how much the oafish wizard had upset her. She lowered her gaze and then, resolutely, raised it again for a few seconds, before looking down again. "I'm so sorry Master... to upset that wizard and cause such a scene," she whispered, and would have gone on apologising had not Harry interrupted.

"You did nothing wrong. Nothing at all. He is an ignorant prejudiced old fool, and had absolutely no right to be upset and be so rude to you. You are not to feel guilty...you understand, you are not to; I shall not be happy if you do...and you do like me to be happy don't you?" He grinned encouragingly at her. Sara gave a small smile of her own, but then saw that the audience which had accumulated during the small incident were still standing around and watching them. Harry followed her gaze and straightened up.

"Nothing left to see here people. Someone...you perhaps," he said, looking pointedly at the sales person, "had better attend to that idiot by the door, and take him St. Mungo's if he doesn't come around. Tell them the arm will unfreeze in a fortnight or two, unless they try to cure it, in which case it will last another week longer, or more, for each and every spell they cast on it... Well, my friend and I will get on with our shopping now, so move along everyone." Harry stepped towards the nearest of them, and they turned away, followed by everyone else.

Harry was more affected by the incident than he had let on to Sara. If she couldn't even be alone for a few minutes in a Diagon Alley shop without someone accosting her or being very rude to her, then she would need even more protection than he'd previously thought. The protective ring wasn't enough. First that very nasty incident with Fudge and now this, it meant he needed to do more.

(Finding more and more ways to protect her was to become something of a hobby of his, even an obsession, much to Hermione's amusement. She was later to comment to Severus, "All the things he's doing to protect her may be over-kill, extreme over-kill, but that doesn't matter: it's not as if he can't afford to do whatever he likes, and it's something he can do and succeed at, and it takes his mind of his other problems for a while.)

...

Harry had been spending a few evenings each week in the dungeon suite even when he had no Potions lessons from professor Snape. In the Gryffindor common room it was usually difficult to avoid either Ron virtually insisting on a game of chess—and for how long can you continue to be repeatedly soundly beaten at chess without loosing some of your enthusiasm for it?—or Seamus wanting to play cards, and in the study hall or library it seemed that every time he wanted to consult a book, other people had checked out all the copies. Whereas in his and Severus' rooms he had his own library, which over the years had been carefully assembled by Severus in preparation for the day Harry would be eleven and come to Hogwarts. The headmaster, as he had felt that Harry would think it important, or rather, he had hoped that Harry would think it important, had given Severus an addition to his allowance solely for buying books. Later, after Harry had arrived, the library was added to with books from libraries on estates he owned and by constant new purchases. Harry had told Severus to update the library with whatever books he thought it should have. (That he was soon to own almost every book ever published on Potions and the Dark Arts was merely a coincidence.)

Harry found it relaxing to sit at his desk and write his essays, while the professor sat nearby at his own desk, marking homework. It was great too, to be able to ask Severus to explain concepts he was having difficulty with, and to get him to read through any essays before he submitted them to whatever professor took that subject.

At first Harry had felt guilty that he had such a great advantage over his friends in having Severus around to help him, but then he salved his conscience by inviting Hermione and Ron to the suite occasionally so that they could benefit from it too. Ron, much to Severus' relief, never accepted, and Hermione was so aware of how easy it would be to take too much advantage of Professor Snape, that she very seldom interrupted his marking or lesson preparations to ask a question.

Harry had not realised that every time he held up Severus' work, by questions or in any other way, it meant Severus had to stay up that much later to finish the essay marking or any other of his Potions class related work. However on a few occasions recently Harry had stayed in the suite overnight because he could not be bothered to return to the dorm, and on one such occasion he woke to find that Severus was still working well into the early hours of the morning.

Harry had walked from his bedroom into the sitting room and was surprised to see Severus still working at his desk. "I thought you would've gone to bed long ago! It's just on three o'clock."

"I apologise if I disturbed you Harry. May I get you anything?"

"No thanks. You didn't disturb me; I just woke up for some reason, and then saw that the light was still on. Do you always have to work so late?"

"Sometimes yes, Master. It depends on how many essays I have to mark. Are you sure you don't want anything Harry? A mug of cocoa perhaps?"

"I took up so much of your time last night—that's why you haven't finished isn't it? Please tell me the truth."

Severus was not sure what to say. It was true that he hadn't finished the marking yet because Harry had required his help last evening, but Severus' primary duty was to his master, his master whose right it was to make whatever use of him he desired, and in any case, it was not his place to criticise him.

"Master, it is my duty and my pleasure to serve you before anything or anyone else. It is kind of you to allow me to work as a professor here, but that always must take second place to whatever you require. Please do not concern yourself about it Sir."

Harry stood, his head slightly to the side, looking at him and considering what Severus' had said. After a moment or two he shrugged.

"That's all very noble of you, but I know it's mostly just what you are forced to say, forced to believe even. So, from now on, every time I come down here to study or whatever, you will tell me how long the marking is likely to take you, and from that I will know how much I can talk to you without it meaning you have to work all night. I don't want you getting sick or being tired all the time because I've forced you to work such long hours! That would make me despise myself and feel really bad, and I know you're forever thinking about how to make my life better and make me feel good about myself, so you wouldn't want that would you?"

Severus inclined his head. "I shall do as you have ordered, I cannot do otherwise of course, but please know that I greatly appreciate your kindness."

Harry was still thinking about Severus. The headmaster had once said to him that it was Harry's responsibility to look after his slave, and that had struck such a chord with Harry that he had taken it on as a duty, almost as a sacred duty or calling, and was always eager to do what he could to improve Severus' life. He decided to see the headmaster tomorrow and talk to him about Severus' work load.

Meanwhile, he would try to do what he could to help him now, "Do you have many left to mark? Is there anything I can help you with? If some of those essays are first form ones I could probably mark some of them for you...not as well as you would of course, but well enough, probably."

"Thank you Harry. However there is no need as I am almost finished. In any case they are seventh form essays, so still rather beyond your skill."

Harry, after summoning a house elf to get cocoa for both of them, went back to bed and shortly thereafter he heard Severus go to his room.

The next day he went down to breakfast early. There were very few people at the Gryffindor table, but Hermione was, so he sat down beside her, and taking advantage of the comparative privacy of there not being many people down for breakfast yet, he said quietly, "The professor has been working too hard; his hours are far too long, and I've been making it worse for him by spending so much time in our suite, because when I'm there he is too concerned with helping me. I don't really want to give up spending time there so I thought I'd see if the headmaster could get him an aide or assistant teacher or something. What do you think?"

"Mmm, but isn't it a bit selfish of you to take up his time and then expect the headmaster to hire someone to help him?"

"Yes, well, that's what I thought you'd think, but try looking at it from my point of view: I've been thinking about it, and, like it or not, the fact is that he does belong to me, and in a lot of ways I belong to him too. He can't help himself wanting to do things for me before anything else, and if I stop going down there he'll know why I've stopped and be unhappy that I've stopped myself from doing something I like, just for his benefit. As for Dumbledore, he's just happy that I let Severus work for him as a professor and potions master at all—I know that because he was worried at first that I wouldn't let Severus work here, and he would have to find another teacher, so he's grateful that he works here at all—of course I could tell the professor not to work here anymore, and to just spend his time looking after me and maybe creating potions to sell…and…that's a thought actually, I think he would like that; he loves potions but teaching, no, not so much, and it would probably generate more income for him by selling what he made than he does from his teaching salary."

Harry paused and looked at Hermione expectantly; she did not disappoint him.

"Oh, please don't do that! Not right in the middle of term anyway; just ask Professor Dumbledore if he can get an assistant for him if possible...perhaps one of the seniors would like to earn a bit of extra pocket money."

Harry hid a smile; that was a quick turn-around. It was amazing what the threat of a missing professor could achieve.

"Okay. Thanks for the ideas; I'll go and see if the headmaster's available now; I've got a free period."

"I think all the ideas were yours; you just wanted me to agree to them, and not go off on one of my lectures," Hermione protested. Harry grinned and said that he would see her later.

After Harry had been standing in front of the gargoyle—or as Hermione had told him was the correct term for it, the grotesque—for several minutes while going through every sweet he could think of but with no result, he was starting to get frustrated.

It was made no better by the grotesque shaking its head 'no' each time and then starting to answer, equally unhelpfully, to each sweet: "nah" "nah" "not it" "nowhere near" "not it neither" "not very good at this are yer?" "Give up yet?" and then, "I ain't got all day yer know."

At which point Harry, stung, replied, "well at least I know I'm a wizard. You don't even know that you are a grotesque and not a gargoyle!"

"Am I now? A grotesque am I? What idiot told yer that?"

"Hermione did. She says that gargoyles are the ugly things on roofs which siphon off rain water, and grotesques are just as ugly but aren't water spouts."

"She 'as that right about the water, but not very h'observant is she? For one thing I'm 'andsome, so 'ow could I be a grotesque? and also me friend, I am a gargoyle, definitely a gargoyle...Ere, I'll prove it to yer," and the thing spurted a stream of cold water onto Harry, drenching his hair, face and robes.

"Oh you blasted...gargoyle. What did you do that for? Just because I got your species wrong?" Harry pulled his wet robe away from himself, which didn't help because the water then ran down inside it. Then belatedly remembering he was a wizard, he dried himself with quick 'Evanesco.'

"Look, okay, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I'll tell Hermione that you really are a gargoyle despite not being on the roof. Okay?"

"Oright. Yer a pretty little wizard so I'll forgive yer this time. I might 'ave to prove it to yer friend though."

"I am not little! Well, not any more; I grew just on five inches last year!"

Oo... Oo...Now 'ose feelin's got 'urt? Not s'nice on t'other side eh? Yer can give it but not take it eh?"

Harry shook himself and tried to recover some of his lost dignity. He bowed his head slightly to the gargoyle. "Mr Gargoyle, I apologise. Now can you let me go up?"

The gargoyle wasn't through with him yet though. "Well, y've gotta give us the 'arseword first ain't yer? Give us some more sweets...yer ain't tried nougat yet."

"Oh at last. Thank the gods. Thanks, 'nougat'."

"Nah, still not it. Try almond clusters."

"You... you...! It won't be them either will it? ... Oh, okay, 'almond clusters'."

"What yer try that for? Ain't no such sweet, far as I know, an I should know, c'fectry hexpert me. The 'eadmaster depends on me hexpert advice on sweets dun'ee?"

"Oh gods. Where _is_ the headmaster when you need him?!"

"'E's in 'is office ain't 'e? Best place for 'im too. Come on... doan give up so easy! Lots of c'fectry yet."

"But I have already said all I can think of..."

"I'll give yer a 'int. Can't say fairer than that now kin I?"

"Okay! Good. Thanks. . . What's the hint?"

"'Ere's me 'int, an' a ruddy good'n it is too, if I say so meself; 'ere it is, 'Yer bin close 'afore'."

"Oh you blasted... I've been close before have I?" Harry sighed resignedly. "Oh all right; I'll go through them all again. You tell me when I get close, okay?"

"Sure thin'."

And Harry started again, about nineteen sweets later he said, "Botts' Every Flavour Beans... "

Then stopped as the gargoyle interrupted, "yer gettin' warmer!"

"Something like Botts' Beans then? Jelly beans? Jumping Beans? Sweets starting with a 'b' perhaps?"

"Nah, nah. Cold agin. Cold enuf ter freeze me balls orf. Bit slow on the uptake ain't yer?"

"Since when have you had balls?"

"Ah, now yer hinsultin' me agin! Nasty little wizard ain't yer? Yer mummy never tell yer ' 'andsome is as 'andsome does,' eh?"

"It's no insult not to have balls; why, my best friend doesn't have any."

"Think I'm stoopid? She's a witch ain't she!"

Harry decided he should get back to the password... "Please don't tell me it's one of the flavours of Botts' Every Flavour Beans?"

"Ok, I won't, but if I doan tell yer, 'oo will?"

"One of the flavours? There are thousands! This'll take all morning, all day probably. Why one of the flavours? Nobody will ever guess that!"

"That's the idea ain't it? Gotta 'ave good 'arseword secur'ty."

"I wish you'd stop calling it that...the word is 'password'...anyway I give up; I think I'll send him an owl."

"Ah young Potter. Run afoul of Gavin I see. I fear you must have offended him. Very sensitive is Gavin." Headmaster Dumbledore had appeared in the corridor behind Harry. Harry wondered how long he'd been there.

"He? Gavin? He's a he, and he has a name?"

"Naturally Gavin has a name, dear boy. How could we call him if he had no name? And Gavin is certainly male. Very macho, aren't you Gavin? Except during Lent, very feminine then of course. I advise you to call her Gertrude during Lent my boy."

Harry gave up. "I shall do my best to remember sir. Gavin except when he is Gertrude, which, _of course_ , is during Lent."

"That's it my boy! You've got it. I'm sure you'll both get along famously from now on."

"I certainly hope so sir. Being drenched with icy water is not much fun. May I talk to you about something sir?"

"Yes, certainly my boy." Albus Dumbledore motioned for Harry to precede him up the stairs which were now fully accessible.

Harry turned back to the gargoyle. "See you again soon Gavin," adding "but not if I can possibly avoid it," under his breath, and followed the Headmaster up the stairs to his office.

Professor Dumbledore walked over to his desk, picked up a bowl of mixed sweets, and offered the bowl to Harry who declined. The Headmaster placed the sweets bowl back on the desk and shook his head.

"Ah. Nobody ever accepts the sweetmeats. Not that I blame them; I can't stand the things myself, but for some reason everyone always gives me confectionery for the Yule celebrations and my birthday: sweets and socks. You wouldn't happen to care for a lovely warm pair of purple socks would you? Or red? I have several dozen pairs of red socks, and some even have clocks on them, though admittedly it's rather awkward to tell the time with them unless you happen to be double jointed... No?... Ah, pity. Never mind, now sit down dear boy and tell me why you wished to talk to me.

You're not worried about Gavin are you? I'm sure he won't hold a grudge...unless of course you told him he was ugly. In 1247 the headmaster at the time, Edward Edbaston the Evil, compared him to a grotesque, and the poor man was never again able to ascend the stairs to his office without being deluged with freezing water, and he lived another hundred and thirty years. Pity it wasn't holy water as that might have washed away his sins."

Harry hesitated, stared at the Headmaster, and then started to grin. "You were there the whole time weren't you? And you let me get drenched and struggle through every sweet ever made! You had me going there for a while, but when you mentioned a grotesque I realised!"

Albus Dumbledore laughed. "I could not resist it. No my boy, you have no reason to fear retribution from Gavin. Even if he is angry that you said he was ugly, since he _is_ rather vain, his memory is abysmally poor so he won't remember his ire beyond a day or two. Seriously though, it is wise to remember to call her Gertrude during Lent, as she has a far better memory than he has. If you are not certain if it's Lent or not, just check if she's wearing lipstick. Gavin has his own version of multiple personality disorder you see... Now, remind me; for what are we gathered together here today?"

"I want to ask your advice about Severus. I'm very worried because he's working too hard and for far too long hours. I don't want him to get sick because of it."

The headmaster started to look concerned."Ah... I sincerely hope that you aren't thinking of withdrawing his services to Hogwarts? That would make it rather difficult for us at the moment as I have no idea where to find another Potions Master."

"It need not come to that. As long as he's happy to be the Potions professor then of course he can be, but I want to reduce his workload... I have a suggestion, well it is mainly Hermione's actually; it's that you get an assistant for him. He spends hours and hours marking homework when anyone who has at least a decent OWL in Potions could mark the first and second years' work at least. If you could find someone competent they might even be able to teach the first years, perhaps even the second and third years too."

"I am not at all sure that I can find anyone, anyone at all..."

"Well, until you advertise we can't be certain. If there are no responses, or no suitable ones, then our other suggestion is that there may be a couple or more sixth and seventh year seniors who would like to make extra pocket money by tutoring, and marking essays and other homework. Some of the senior Ravenclaws are usually pretty keen to force-feed the Ravenclaw juniors their knowledge; they could put that experience to use."

"And you think that might be enough to reduce the pressure on Severus?"

"It would help. But please try advertising as well. A Potions teacher for the lower forms would be the best option for me and for Severus."

"I shall do my best my boy. I had not realised that Severus was feeling the strain to that extent. You are to be commended that you have realised it, as I am certain he would never have said anything about it."

"Yes, that's my problem; he would probably work himself to death rather than say anything. The only reason I know is because I've been spending a few nights in the suite instead of going back to the dorm. I woke up last night at about ten to three and he was still working."

"You could tell him to stop working whenever he is feeling tired, and when the workload is more than he can accomplish in a normal workday, or rather, the hours you consider to be a normal workday, which I feel may be rather less than the hours most masters think normal for their servants."

"Yes, and I probably will, but that'll be useless really, it might even be counter productive if it means there's work that he's not getting done. That would stress him even more than working all hours is now. No, the work load has to be reduced first."

Harry paused, and then, to increase the pressure on the headmaster, added, "I really don't want to have to stop him working here as the lab at Potters's Kiln would need extensive up-grading and re-stocking if he were to do research and make his potions there... though, come to think of it, I suppose he would enjoy planning the upgrade and buying new supplies..."

Albus recognised his defeat. "I certainly see your point my boy. I shall advertise for an assistant teacher at once..."

"Thank you Headmaster, and meanwhile I'll put a notice on the main message board that we are looking for students with a good OWL in potions who would like to make a bit of extra money marking forms one and two's potions essays."

"Perhaps you should ask Severus for his opinion about that? He may not think any of his sixth and seventh year students capable, or that it would interfere too greatly in their own studies. The seventh year seniors' workload is particularly heavy."

 _You're not going to get out of it that easily_ , Harry thought. "Yes, I will consult Severus, of course I will. He may even know of a student or two who could do with a little extra money, who we could approach directly. If he doesn't like the idea at all, then we shall just have to advertise for an aide for him as well as an assistant teacher."

Unfortunately for Albus, Harry held all the cards, as he could stop Severus working at Hogwarts at any time he liked.

Albus tried a last ditch effort. "I am not at all sure that our budget can stretch to both an assistant teacher and an aide my boy. We may need to have one or the other but not both."

"Ah, but I can help you there. The interest and returns from my properties and investments comes in much faster than I can spend it. I will be happy to pay for any aides, not the assistant teacher though, as I do think that's Hogwarts' responsibility, but for the aide or aides, yes."

The headmaster's eyes regained some of their twinkle. Harry had forced him to agree to his proposal, but at least had thrown him a small sop to sweeten the deal.

"That is generous of you my boy. I shall ask Professor McGonagall to place an advertisement for an assistant teacher in the Prophet immediately."

"And I'll ask Severus about the aides, and get that on the go. Thank you Headmaster...and it would be good to advertise in any professional journals and magazines too; would that be okay?"

Albus nodded his assent.

"Well, I suppose I'd better go now. Goodbye sir."

"Goodbye my boy."

...

"I think you may have miss-sorted that lad Alistair, " Albus addressed the Sorting Hat, as Harry's footsteps could be heard going down the stairs.

"I tried to put him in Slytherin with the other manipulative little buggers," the Hat protested, "but he utterly refused. Of course the most ambitious and cunning potential Slytherins often do get sorted into the other houses, as it's hardly cunning to advertise the fact of one's cunning by labelling one's self a Slytherin. Your own sorting being a case in point, if I remember correctly Albus, and as you know, I invariably do remember correctly."

Harry went straight from the headmaster's office down to the dungeons to see Severus, only to realise that Severus would not be there as he was taking a class. So he returned to the Gryffindor common room. It was only about quarter of an hour before he was due in Transfiguration anyway.

That evening he told Ron and Hermione that he was going to do his Charms homework down in Severus' rooms, and when Hermione asked if she could go with him as it was so much quieter down there, made the excuse that he needed to talk privately with the professor about something, so, sorry, but not this time. She looked at him searchingly but then nodded and turned back to the book she was reading.

He retreated quickly and walked down to the dungeons.

Harry, as was his habit despite the fact that in one sense the suite was really his own, politely knocked before he entered. Severus was marking essays again; just how many essays did the man set?

As he walked in Severus stood politely and inclined his head slightly. "Master."

"Hello Sev, er, sorry Severus. I still forget occasionally."

Severus was about to say that Harry could, of course, call him whatever he liked, but Harry waved that away and Severus fell silent.

"Can you stop marking for a few minutes please? I won't interrupt you for long, but there's something I want us to talk about; it's about the marking and your workload. Please come and sit in one of the armchairs." Harry waited until Severus sat down (in the one he knew was not Harry's favourite) and then sat down himself. Severus waited for him to speak.

Harry hesitated for a second or two, gathering his thoughts, took a deep breath and then began, "I think you're working for far too long hours. I know that quite a bit of that is my fault because I've been holding you up with all my questions, and with getting you to check my homework for me, so I suppose really that I should stop doing that, but I really don't want to. . . I know it's selfish, but I really like having you to bounce ideas off and to set me straight about things, so, sorry, but I don't intend to stop...anyway, even without all my interruptions, your workload is far too much. You have the most dangerous subject to teach, and all your duties as head of Slytherin house as well, and it's far too much for one person. So I've asked the headmaster to employ an assistant teacher for you. He or she will be able to take some of your classes, the first and second years at least I think, which will give you a few extra free periods that you can do other things in. Also they can mark a lot of the essays for you... Not that I have told the headmaster this next part yet, I forgot actually, but I will tell him when I next see him, that when he gets any replies from his adverts, I want you to check and interview them for suitability. Are you happy with that? With getting an assistant teacher I mean?"

"Yes Harry, very happy. I am most grateful." Actually he was slightly miffed that it had all been done without asking him about it first, but that was completely overlain by his appreciation of the fact that Harry cared enough to try and reduce his workload; most masters only thought about how they could increase their servants' workloads.

"Good. The other idea I had was that in addition to the assistant teacher, was to get either one or two, or more if necessary I suppose, of the seniors, the sixth and seventh year potions students, to mark the first to forth years' essays, or to hire someone from outside to do it. What do you think? Would that be okay? Are there any students you'd trust to do that and who'd like to earn extra pocket money?"

Severus answered slowly. "You have my gratitude once again for your thoughtfulness. I think that if an assistant teacher is hired then there would be no need of an aide as well... I am not so overworked that you should have concern for me. I am quite used to working while awake after all..."

"Well, you jolly well shouldn't be! You should have time for relaxation. It's no use your resisting it; I'm going to insist on getting you as much help as needed to make sure that you get a bit of time to yourself...if you can't handle just sitting around doing nothing occasionally, you can at least have more time to muck about in your lab... So, the next question is, are you happy for us to ask the sixth and seventh years if anyone wants to make extra pocket money by marking essays?"

"Yes Master, there are three or four sixth year students I can think of, and possibly one seventh year too, who might be interested in it for cash or extra credit, and who are knowledgable enough to mark essays from the lower forms. Apart from the one seventh year who is remarkably bright and well organised, I would like to avoid the others in that year; it would be too onerous for them to undertake more work."

"Oh good. Very good actually as I thought I might have a hard time convincing you."

 _Could Harry still not realise, after all this time, that it only took an order, or anything that could possibly be interpreted as an order by the bond, to convince him? He must remind him of the possible consequences of forgetting that a stray expressed thought of his could impel his slaves to act. He would do that later though._

"Do you wish me to approach the students Harry?"

"Would you? That'd be great. It was a good idea of yours about the extra credit, but tell them also...what do you think? Would three or four galleons an hour be enough?"

"That might be too generous Master. A few sickles or one galleon at the most, would tempt most of them and certainly be more than sufficient renumeration for the task."

"Oh, okay. Best not to tell them I'm paying for it though. Let them think Hogwarts is paying it."

Severus could not help himself. "I trust it is Hogwarts and not you who will be paying any assistant teacher."

"Yes, don't worry. That'll be the school's responsibility. I told the headmaster that when I volunteered to pay for the aides."

"That's good, although the school should be paying for the aides as well. I know your generous spirit, and do not like to see it taken advantage of." _Honestly, sometimes Harry needed a keeper to protect his interests._

"Thanks...I think. Anyway the aides won't cost much at all, so there's no need to get your knickers in a twist on my behalf...anyway, you know I'm loaded, so why you should get upset about...well...anyway, how about you do whatever you have to get done, and I'll finish my Charms homework, and then I get something brought up from the kitchen for our supper—have you got many essays to correct?"

"There is at most only another half hour's work, so I will be happy to have supper with you once that is completed, or whenever you wish."

After Severus had marked the last of the essays he sat there for a few moments, surreptitiously looking at his owner out of the corners of his eyes.

Harry looked up. "Oh, you've finished. Would you like to call for a couple of sandwiches...or something a bit more substantial? Whatever you fancy for supper anyway, while I write the last couple of lines here? Order anything; I'm easy; I'll eat anything and everything, anything at all...well...apart from swedes and Brussels' sprouts of course. . . and gruel. I don't like gruel, or porridge much either for that matter, though it's far better than gruel, and tripe, tripe tastes disgusting, oh, and grapefruit or tangelos, have you tried them? The only tangelo I ever tried was very sour, much too sour... and I don't like liver... or plain boiled cabbage... What are you looking at me like that for?... Well, okay, I know that look, you needn't laugh at me; I suppose there are actually quite a few things I don't like much, but swedes and Brussels sprouts are the worst, so long as there are neither of them, or tripe, then just anything really."

"If you are not particularly hungry Harry, may I suggest an omelette? A mushroom omelette perhaps, with a side salad?"

"Yeah, er, I mean 'yes'. That sounds good. Could we have a treacle tart with clotted cream, lots of it, for desert?"

"Certainly Master... " "Elf!"

As they were eating their supper Severus noticed that Harry kept looking at his face and then away again. "Is there something between my teeth Master?"

"What? Oh no, they're fine, good in fact. I'm glad I suggested you get them straightened and whitened, because they look great now... No, it's not the teeth... I've just noticed how well you're looking lately. I swear you even look a lot younger now than you did when first we met... I know wizards age more slowly than muggles do, but even so... I know having your teeth straightened, and my asking you to see if you could invent a less greasy looking hair protectant made a big difference, but you even look younger than you did after that was done... Why are you looking so embarrassed?"

Severus' had hardly changed his expression at all, but after knowing him for so long Harry was adept at interpreting even minute changes in his face. At the question he looked even more embarrassed. The truth was that he had taken a de-ageing potion so that he might look more pleasant for his master to have around.

"I don't believe it - you're blushing .. well, almost blushing. What on Earth have you done?" Harry laughed.

If only his bond would allow him to lie to Harry without it exacting retribution! Severus looked imploringly at him and prepared to confess the uncomfortable truth... His master had never shown the slightest indication that he..."Master... I... "

Harry stopped grinning when he saw that Severus was embarrassed, and relented. Obviously Sev didn't wish to tell him, but was being impelled to answer because of Harry's direct question.

"No. Stop. Don't tell me... I suppose like most of us, it's just that you have a bit of vanity after-all. There's no need to be embarrassed about it; there's nothing wrong with trying to look your best—and I like whatever it is you've done. It looks really good... You still look imposing and scary, so that's good—you would hardly be recognisable as my Severus otherwise—and you'll still be able to scare the firsties to death, you just look much more healthy looking. Yes, it's really good; because now you look so well, people will think I'm looking after you properly at last."

Severus felt relief. He was almost certain that Harry knew there was more to his looking younger than just vanity, so he had countermanded his order, and allowed Severus to keep his embarrassing reasons private.

Severus lowered his head slightly. "Thank you Master."

The next evening Harry brought up the subject of Severus' improved looks again, but then said, "One day you may trust me enough to tell me the real reason. Until then you may keep it as private as you like... though it might be an idea not to tell anyone else before you tell me... I don't think I would like that much...Gods! I have become very possessive of you haven't I? ... No, tell whomever you wish to tell. I shouldn't have asked that of you."

"You have every right to ask anything of me, anything at all, let alone something as minor as this. In any case I will tell no one apart from you. I am truly grateful, very grateful indeed, that you have spared my embarrassment by countermanding your order to tell you why I did it, and what I did. I assure you that it was a matter of my personal embarrassment only, it it not because it was anything that would be detrimental to you."

"Of course it wasn't! I know that! For one thing the bond wouldn't allow it, but anyway, even if there were no bond, I trust you." Harry hesitated, looked a bit embarrassed, then muttered to himself, nearly, but not quite, inaudibly, "you're my real family now..." He broke off, looking appalled. "I've got to go back to the tower now; I should spend more time there I suppose," but he made no move to leave.

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Severus wanted to say that he was honoured to be thought of as family, but since Harry had not intended him to hear that muttered comment, he could only say, "I am honoured by your trust My Lord."

"Well, 'night professor. Probably see you tomorrow."


End file.
